The Federal Government is set to establish 41 innovation hubs in universities and other tertiary institutions as part of efforts to shift Nigeria towards a knowledge-driven economy.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Wednesday after meeting with representatives of the United Nations Development Programme and seven university vice-chancellors on the UNDP Innovation Hub initiative.
Alausa said the university innovation hubs, known as UniPods, were intended to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world economic opportunities by turning discoveries into businesses, employment and measurable economic value.
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He said the programme was consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s ambition of growing Nigeria’s economy to $1tn, noting that education, technology and research would play central roles in achieving the target.
The minister disclosed that eight UniPods had either been commissioned or were at various stages of readiness, with three already operating at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
He also identified specialised hubs planned for different locations, including the Blue Economy UniPod in Akwa Ibom State, AgroTech at Benue State University, Resilience Tech in Borno State, GovTech at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Industrial Tech in Plateau State.
Alausa stressed that the initiative would not be judged by the number of buildings established but by the solutions, businesses, jobs and investment opportunities emerging from the hubs.
“UniPods must turn research and innovation into jobs, investment, and real economic impact,” the minister said.
He urged tertiary institutions to move away from a system where research is primarily pursued for academic promotion, calling instead for greater emphasis on commercialising discoveries developed in university laboratories.