The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), through its National Policy Advocacy Centre (NPAC), has canvassed for the transformation of research works into commercially viable products capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and accelerating economic growth.
The call was made on Thursday during a high-level webinar themed “From Lab to Market: Driving Nigeria’s Industrial Transformation through Research Commercialization,” which brought together policymakers, researchers, academics, manufacturers, financial institutions, innovators, development partners and private sector leaders to examine strategies for bridging the gap between research and industry.
Participants at the virtual engagement stressed that although Nigeria possesses abundant research talent and innovative potential, much of its scientific discoveries remain trapped within laboratories and academic institutions due to weak commercialisation frameworks, inadequate financing, poor technology transfer systems and limited collaboration between researchers and industry.
Declaring the webinar open, the 2nd Deputy President of ACCI and Chairman of NPAC, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, said Nigeria must deliberately strengthen its innovation ecosystem by promoting technology transfer, protecting intellectual property rights and encouraging stronger partnerships among government, universities, research institutions, investors and the private sector.
According to Dr. Hong, unlocking the commercial value of indigenous research will not only stimulate industrial growth but also reduce the country’s dependence on imported technologies while positioning locally developed innovations to compete in global markets.
He maintained that research should move beyond academic publications to become a critical driver of economic development and national competitiveness.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Engr. Dr. Kazeem Kolawole Raji, the Director of Procurement, Mr. Tukura Zakaria, said Nigeria’s long-term economic prosperity depends on its ability to convert research findings into market-ready products and successful enterprises.
He described technology incubation as the critical bridge between research institutions and industry, noting that incubation centres provide innovators with business development support, mentorship, market access and strategic partnerships needed to successfully commercialise new technologies.
Zakaria highlighted NBTI’s ongoing efforts to promote indigenous innovation through its nationwide network of Technology Incubation Centres as well as youth-focused entrepreneurship programmes designed to nurture innovators and technology-driven enterprises across the country.
He further called for increased public and private investment in technology incubation, improved access to finance, stronger intellectual property protection and greater support for young innovators, stressing that such interventions would position “Made in Nigeria” products as globally competitive brands recognised for quality and innovation.
on behalf of the Director-General of ACCI, Mr. Agabaidu Jideani, the Executive Director of NPAC, Dr. Chidiebere Onwumere, reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to promoting private sector-led industrialisation through evidence-based policy advocacy and strategic partnerships.
He explained that the webinar forms part of ACCI’s broader efforts to strengthen collaboration between industry and research institutions while laying the groundwork for a proposed National Forum on Commercialising Research and Innovation for Sustainable Industrial Growth.
The webinar featured technical presentations and panel discussions involving representatives from the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Bank of Industry (BOI), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), African University of Science and Technology (AUST), alongside researchers and innovation experts from other institutions.
Throughout the discussions, participants identified weak linkages between academia and industry, inadequate funding, fragmented innovation ecosystems, limited incentives for commercialisation and insufficient protection of intellectual property as some of the major barriers preventing research from translating into commercially successful products and services.
Stakeholders advocated stronger collaboration among universities, research institutes, manufacturers, government agencies, investors and development partners to develop innovations capable of generating employment, reducing import dependence, expanding local manufacturing and improving Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.
The participants also recommended the establishment of clearer institutional intellectual property policies, expansion of technology transfer and incubation platforms, greater involvement of the private sector in determining research priorities and stronger financing mechanisms to support innovation-driven enterprises from conception to commercial scale.
As part of efforts to sustain innovation, the National Board for Technology Incubation announced plans to host the NextGen Innovation Showcase on August 6, 2026, while the Bank of Industry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting strategic partnerships that promote innovation-led industrial development through financing and enterprise support.
At the close of the webinar, participants resolved to deepen stakeholder engagement and develop coordinated actions for advancing research commercialisation in Nigeria.
Dr. Hong announced that NPAC would convene a national forum involving universities, research institutions, manufacturers, investors, development partners and government agencies to produce a coordinated roadmap for translating research into sustainable industrial growth.
He also directed the NPAC Secretariat to prepare a comprehensive report documenting the webinar’s deliberations and recommendations to serve as a policy guide for future advocacy and implementation.
