The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology (STI), Dr Kingsley Udeh, says the Federal Government is prioritising strategic development in science, technology and innovation to strengthen Nigeria’s scientific capacity and position the country as a leading scientific hub in Africa.
Udeh stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving Fellows of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Kuo Sharper Center Foundry in his office.
He said Nigeria’s ambition to become one of the world’s leading scientific powers was clearly outlined in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy.
According to the minister, Nigeria is not short of inventions but continues to face challenges in translating research outcomes into market-ready solutions.
To address this gap, Udeh said the ministry is strengthening the commercialisation pipeline for Research and Development (R&D) outcomes and is developing a national policy to commercialise R&D results, inventions and innovations.
He explained that the proposed policy represents a shift from a supply-driven approach to a demand-led innovation ecosystem, backed by relevant legislative and policy instruments.
Among these instruments, he cited Presidential Executive Order No. 5, which prioritises Nigerian professionals and locally developed technologies in public procurement and infrastructure projects.
Udeh said a key component of the policy is the Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D framework, described as Nigeria’s Innovation Monetary Policy.
“For the first time, we will systematically measure our R&D investment, which currently stands at 0.16 per cent of GDP, based on World Bank estimates,” he said.
He added that the Federal Government is committed to meeting the African Union’s recommended target for R&D investment.
The minister also disclosed plans to launch a Commercialisation Fund to provide phased financing from proof-of-concept to full-scale deployment, alongside efforts to revitalise technology incubation centres and innovation hubs nationwide.
Udeh assured entrepreneurs in the science, innovation and technology space of government support through funding, partnerships, networks and market access.
He urged the MIT Foundry Fellows to collaborate with Nigerian innovators through technology transfer, co-development and investment initiatives.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the MIT Kuo Center Foundry Fellows, Dina Sherif, said the visit was designed to expose the 2025–2026 cohort of Fellows to Nigeria’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem.
She said the engagement would enable the Fellows to understand how Nigerian innovators navigate growth, volatility and structural challenges in a dynamic business environment.