The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has renewed its call for stronger investment in innovation, technology commercialisation and intellectual property protection, saying these remain critical to building globally competitive businesses and accelerating Nigeria’s industrial development.
Obiageli Amadiobi, director-general and chief executive officer of NOTAP, said the annual commemoration of African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) provides an opportunity to stimulate innovation, support entrepreneurs and strengthen the systems needed to transform research outcomes into marketable products and services.
Speaking in a statement issued by Raymond Ogbu, NOTAP’s public relations officer, Amadiobi noted that the celebration, observed every September 13 across Africa, was established by the African Union to promote technology development, encourage creativity and strengthen intellectual property rights across member states.
She said innovation and knowledge-driven enterprises have become key drivers of economic growth globally, making it imperative for African countries to create an environment where inventors, researchers and entrepreneurs can develop and commercialise homegrown technologies.
According to her, Nigeria has continued to leverage the annual event to showcase scientific innovations and inventions from students, researchers and members of innovation-focused organisations, with the aim of connecting ideas to industry and unlocking new economic opportunities.
Amadiobi said the Federal Government, through NOTAP, has introduced several initiatives to bridge the gap between research institutions and industry, including the establishment of 69 Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in universities, polytechnics and research institutes nationwide.
She explained that the offices are designed to help researchers protect intellectual property, facilitate technology transfer and support the commercialisation of innovations that can create jobs and attract investment.
The NOTAP boss also highlighted programmes such as the NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF), the NOTAP-Industry Research Laboratory Upgrade Programme (NIRLUP) and Project NOVA, a technology hub initiative aimed at developing and scaling the skills of Nigerian youths for participation in the digital economy.
She disclosed that innovators, researchers and entrepreneurs will have another opportunity to showcase their work during the National Technology and Innovation Summit (NTIS 2.0), scheduled to hold on October 7 and 8, 2026, in Ikeja, Lagos.
Amadiobi said sustained support for innovation agencies and increased funding for research and development would be crucial to helping Nigerian innovators transform prototypes into commercially viable products, strengthen local industries and position the country as a leading technology hub in Africa.