- FG to Establish 41 UniPods to Drive Research, Innovation and Job Creation
- Says UniPods Will Turn University Research Into Jobs, Investment
- Alausa: Research Must Move From Laboratories to Markets
The Federal Government says it plans to establish 41 University Innovation Pods, UniPods, across tertiary institutions as part of efforts to transform research and innovation into jobs, investment and economic opportunities.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during a meeting with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and 7 vice chancellors on the sustainability and future of the UNDP Innovation Hub initiative.
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Alausa said the UniPods were part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to use education, technology, research and innovation to move Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.
He said 8 UniPods had either been commissioned or were ready for commissioning, with 3 already operational at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
Other specialised UniPods include the Blue Economy hub 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.
The minister said the success of the initiative would not be measured by the buildings and equipment alone but by the solutions developed and the economic value generated from them.
Alausa said Nigeria needed to move beyond a system where research was conducted mainly for academic promotion to one where discoveries could be developed, commercialised and taken to the market.
He cited the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University, where researchers have developed geospatial maps identifying deposits of lithium, gold and bauxite, including information on their locations and depths.
According to him, such discoveries could create significant economic opportunities if investors were connected with researchers and provided with appropriate channels to commercialise their work.
He said the government had reduced some of the initial risks by providing infrastructure, equipment and technical capacity, adding that private investment and commercialisation should now become the next phase of the initiative.
Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education, in partnership with UNDP and Tech4Dev, would work towards establishing about 41 UniPods over the coming years.
He stressed that the centres must become financially sustainable rather than remain dependent on grants, saying they should generate revenue, support their host universities and attract skilled talent.
The minister said the Ministry and UNDP were developing an appropriate governance framework for the UniPods, while eligible centres would be allowed to establish commercial accounts in line with existing government guidelines for university research centres.
He added that part of the revenue generated could be retained by the UniPods to sustain their operations, while another portion would support targeted technological development in their host universities.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, said the UniPods should be positioned as instruments for accelerating Nigeria’s industrialisation rather than being viewed solely as academic facilities.
Ahmad urged universities to expose students and researchers to industrialisation and commercialisation so that innovative ideas could be transformed into products, services and businesses.
She also called for the facilities to be made accessible to students and researchers from other universities, subject to appropriate procedures, saying the initiative should provide opportunities for innovative Nigerians regardless of their institutions.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, commended the Ministry for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness and innovation.
Attafuah said the changing global development environment required countries to develop their own wealth and competitiveness, describing the UniPods as important instruments for Nigeria’s reform agenda.
She said UNDP was prepared to facilitate South-South cooperation, including possible collaboration with India, while supporting the emerging network of UniPods in governance, financing and sustainability.
Alausa assured that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue working with UNDP, Tech4Dev, universities and other partners to develop the UniPods into sustainable centres of innovation, enterprise and economic opportunity.
He said the ultimate objective was to ensure that investments in education and technology translate into practical research, viable businesses, jobs and highly skilled young Nigerians capable of driving Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
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