The federal government, on Wednesday, inaugurated a steering committee as well as policy drafting committee for the National Research to Commercialisation Policy.

It said the inauguration aimed at translating research outputs into tangible economic and social value.

The minister of education, Tunji Alausa, who said this at the inauguration in Abuja, said the initiative would reposition research and innovation which served as deliberate drivers of economic growth and industrial competitiveness.

Mr Alausa said Nigeria had invested substantially in research across universities, research institutes and specialised agencies, but lamented that the translation of research outcomes into products and services had remained weak and fragmented.

“Over the years, Nigeria has produced valuable knowledge and innovative ideas, but the pathway from research to real impact has remained weak, fragmented and largely unstructured,” he said.

He explained that the National Research to Commercialisation Policy was designed to close the gap between knowledge generation and value creation.

This, he said, would be made possible 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.

“It is about ensuring that research responds to real national needs, improves productivity and strengthens Nigeria’s global competitiveness,” Mr Alausa said.

The minister said the steering committee would provide overall strategic direction, ensuring alignment with national priorities and guarantee institutional ownership at the highest level.

Additionally, he said the policy drafting committee would undertake the technical work.

According to him, the drafting team will develop and finalise the national policy, propose financing and incentive mechanisms, design an implementation roadmap and establish a results-based monitoring and evaluation framework.

“The outcome must be a practical, implementable policy supported by clear institutional arrangements and monitoring mechanisms.

“Nations that rise in the 21st century are those that can convert ideas into value at scale,” he said.

Mr Alausa commended the Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Committee (RICC) and its partners for laying the groundwork for the policy, stressing that the process must 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.

“We can no longer spend billions without seeing impact. Times have changed, and we must work collaboratively to deliver results for the Nigerian people,” he said.

On his part, chairman of the Policy Drafting Committee, 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. 

“There is no industrial nation that has not mastered the pathway this policy seeks to embed as a national framework.

“Nigeria needs policies that work for us at home. We take this responsibility seriously and will expedite action to deliver a contextual and impactful policy,” Mr Aduloju said.

The inauguration signals the commencement of work on the National Research to Commercialisation Policy.

It is expected to strengthen linkages among government, academia, industry, and the private sector.

(NAN)