Nigeria's FG Concerned Over Low Returns on Research Spending

During a strategic meeting in Abuja, Kingsley Udeh, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, highlighted the Federal Government of Nigeria's worries regarding the low economic returns on investments in research at universities and polytechnics. Despite significant investments in research and development, the outcomes remain below expectations, with valuable research often left uncommercialized.

Udeh noted that while Nigerian scientists have produced innovative solutions in various fields such as agriculture, renewable energy, and health sciences, many research outputs are not being commercialized, leading to unemployment and low contributions to the country's GDP. Philip Ebiogeh, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, stressed the importance of creating a system that supports patenting and commercialization, urging for a culture shift in research to prevent findings from gathering dust.

The Federal Government is pursuing a national research commercialization policy, allocating N2.41 billion to a research innovation commercialization committee and a N3 billion program set to operate until 2026, aimed at bridging the gap between knowledge generation and value creation.