Abuja: The Federal Government on Wednesday inaugurated a steering committee as well as a policy drafting committee for the National Research to Commercialisation Policy. The initiative aims to translate research outputs into tangible economic and social value, as stated by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the inauguration event in Abuja. This move is expected to reposition research and innovation as deliberate drivers of economic growth and industrial competitiveness.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Alausa highlighted that Nigeria has invested significantly in research across universities, research institutes, and specialized agencies. However, he lamented that the translation of research outcomes into products and services has remained weak and fragmented. He noted that over the years, Nigeria has produced valuable knowledge and innovative ideas, but the pathway from research to real impact has been largely unstructured.
Dr. Alausa explained that the National Research to Commercialisation Policy was designed to bridge the gap between knowledge generation and value creation. This will be achieved by establishing clear, structured, and nationally applicable pathways for turning research outputs into commercial, industrial, and societal value. “This policy is not about commercialisation for its own sake; it is about developmental impact,” he emphasized, highlighting the importance of ensuring that research addresses real national needs, improves productivity, and strengthens Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
The minister outlined that the steering committee would provide overall strategic direction, ensuring alignment with national priorities and institutional ownership at the highest level. Additionally, the policy drafting committee will undertake the technical work, developing and finalizing the national policy, proposing financing and incentive mechanisms, designing an implementation roadmap, and establishing a results-based monitoring and evaluation framework.
Dr. Alausa commended the Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Committee (RICC) and its partners for laying the groundwork for the policy, stressing the need for the process to remain evidence-based, inclusive, and action-oriented. He also announced increased government support for research commercialisation, including a N3 billion operational budget for the RICC in the 2026 financial year and the harmonisation of existing research funding lines to ensure synergy and measurable impact.
On his part, the Chairman of the Policy Drafting Committee, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, said the policy would help build a strong institutional base for Nigeria’s industrialisation. He assured that the committee would adopt inclusive, empirical, and evidence-based approaches and deliver the draft policy within the agreed three-month timeline. Dr. Aduloju emphasized the importance of creating policies that work for Nigeria domestically, as no industrial nation has succeeded without mastering the pathway this policy seeks to embed as a national framework.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the inauguration signals the commencement of work on the National Research to Commercialisation Policy.