The Federal Government has said its planned 41 University Innovation Pods (UniPods) must move beyond academic research to become commercial hubs capable of generating jobs, attracting investment and driving Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa gave the charge while reviewing the sustainability of the UniPod initiative at a meeting with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and seven vice chancellors on the UNDP Innovation Hub.
Alausa said the initiative was part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader vision of using education, technology, research and innovation to support the administration’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
He said the success of the UniPods would not be measured by the number of buildings or equipment provided, but by the practical solutions, businesses, jobs and economic value emerging from the centres.
According to him, eight UniPods have either been commissioned or are ready for commissioning, with three already operational at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
The Minister in a statement signed by his Special Adviser Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, said the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with UNDP and Tech4Dev, was working towards establishing about 41 UniPods across tertiary institutions in the coming years.
He identified specialised centres already established or being developed to include the Blue Economy UniPod in Akwa Ibom, AgroTech in Benue State University, Resilience Tech in Borno State, GovTech at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Industrial Tech in Plateau State.
Alausa, however, said the government must avoid creating innovation centres that would remain dependent on grants, stressing that the UniPods must evolve into financially sustainable enterprises.
He said the government had already absorbed much of the initial risk by providing infrastructure, equipment and technical capacity, adding that the next phase should focus on connecting researchers with investors and creating pathways for commercialisation.
The Minister cited the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University, where researchers had developed geospatial maps showing deposits of lithium, gold and bauxite, including information on their locations and depths.
According to him, such discoveries could become major economic assets if properly linked to investors and commercial opportunities.
He said: “We must move beyond research that is largely conducted for academic promotion to research that can move from the laboratory to the market and ultimately create real impact.”
He explained that the Ministry and UNDP were developing a governance framework for the UniPods, while eligible centres would be able to operate commercial accounts in line with existing government guidelines for university research centres.
Part of the revenue generated, he said, could be retained by the UniPods to sustain their operations, while another portion would be channelled into targeted technological development in their host universities.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, also said the UniPods must be positioned as instruments for accelerating Nigeria’s industrialisation rather than being viewed merely as academic facilities.
Ahmad said universities should begin to measure research not only by the knowledge it produces, but by the value, products, businesses and economic opportunities it creates.
She urged universities to expose students and researchers to industrialisation and commercialisation, saying innovative ideas should be transformed into products and services capable of contributing to national development.
The Minister of State further said the benefits of the UniPods should extend beyond their host institutions, with students and researchers from other universities allowed to access the facilities under appropriate arrangements.
Also speaking, UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, commended Alausa for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness and innovation.
Attafuah said the changing global
development environment required countries to build their own wealth and competitiveness, describing the UniPods as important instruments for advancing Nigeria’s reform agenda and helping young Nigerians realise their potential.
She said UNDP was prepared to facilitate South-South cooperation, including possible collaboration with India, while strengthening the network among the UniPods and supporting their governance, financing and sustainability.
