When Nigeria’s National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) gathered academics, policymakers, and innovators at its Abuja headquarters on September 24, 2025, the message from its leadership was clear: the future of Nigeria’s economy lies not only in oil or agriculture but in the commercialization of research and innovation.
For years, Nigerian universities and research institutes have produced countless groundbreaking studies. Yet, very few of these ever translate into tangible products, technologies, or services that could transform industries and livelihoods. The gulf between laboratory prototypes and marketplace shelves has long frustrated scientists, policymakers, and investors alike.
At the North-Central Sensitization Programme on the NASENI Research Commercialization Grant Programme (NRCGP), NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, reaffirmed that bridging this gap remains central to Nigeria’s economic future.
Halilu, represented by NASENI’s Research Director, Prof. Abdulmalik Ibrahim Onuwe, noted that the NRCGP was designed to support viable research and development initiatives in the country while propagating NASENI’s mission and vision of driving national transformation through science and engineering.
He emphasized that the application process for the programme is fully digitalized, transparent and does not require physical presence or long administrative procedures. According to him, this approach removes the bureaucratic bottlenecks that often hinder researchers from accessing funding.
He explained further that the sensitization was not just for personal benefit but to empower prospective researchers from institutions who may need guidance on how to participate in the programme.
He urged the participants, including representatives from universities, the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), and others, to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by NASENI to foster collaboration and innovation.
The Programme Coordinator and Special Adviser to the Executive Vice Chairman on Science and Engineering Commercialisation, Engr. Dr. Anas Balarabe Yazid, gave an overview of the NRCGP, its objectives, eligibility criteria and the key assessment tools that would guide the selection of beneficiaries.
He explained that the NRCGP is deliberately aligned with NASENI’s mandate to promote local content and that under the principle of Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation (3Cs), research outputs are expected to move from being academic papers to becoming market-ready solutions.
According to him, every research project must be noble, clear, market-viable and consistent with both NASENI’s transformation agenda and Nigeria’s broader development goals. He said that under the new framework, commercialization is being radically prioritized so that research can play its rightful role in national development.
The NASENI Research Commercialization Grant Programme is looking for innovative and novel research that has not been done before. The programme is also looking out for commercial viability research projects that can make money.
Moreover, the research must be published in a peer review journal. These researches must align with NASENI Objectives of adding value to Nigeria and the world. It must also have potential for scale and sustainability, which means it can attract investment.
Dr. Yazid further added that the thematic areas for these research works include Renewable Energy and Sustainability, Health and Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food Manufacturing, Sustainable Transportation and Mobility, Information Technology and Software Development, Construction and Smart City Development as well as Defense and Aerospace.
He said for the process, application is strictly online and it is in two stages: first stage determines the novelty of the proposal while second stage involves a deeper dive on commercial viability. The Swedish Innovation Readiness Level framework is used for evaluating the viability of the application, he added.
Dr Yazid further stated that additional information required include Profile, Detailed Proposal, Business Plan, Feasibility Study Report, Pitch deck, Technology Readiness Level (TRL), Evidence of IP Registration with CAC, Environmental Impact Assessment, Letter of Intent from Industrial Off-takers, Risk Assessment Report, and any Supporting Technical Documents or Certifications.
Beyond the grants, other benefits include access to NASENI innovation hub, admission into NASENI Incubation programme, High chances of joining NASENI Xcelerate, access to more equity and debt financing, access to 12 institutes and centre of excellence, government market access through Nigerian First Policy and many more.
The Deputy Director, Planning and Policy Analysis Department, NASENI, Ms. Joy Elugbe, expressed appreciation to the Executive Vice Chairman and to all the participants who attended the sensitization programme. She noted that the NRCGP represents a significant opportunity for researchers to translate their work into products and services that would drive national progress.
She encouraged them to embrace NASENI’s initiatives as a pathway to achieving Nigeria’s vision of economic growth and development through science, technology and innovation. The sensitization programme highlighted the importance of repositioning Nigeria’s research culture to focus more on outcomes that have economic value.
For decades, many research projects have remained locked within universities and research institutions, gaining academic recognition but failing to make an impact in the market or on people’s lives. NASENI’s intervention seeks to change this narrative by offering support for those projects that can be commercialized to create jobs, increase productivity and contribute to economic transformation.
Background information about NASENI underscores the significance of this programme. The agency was established in 1992 following the recommendations of a White Paper Committee on Engineering Infrastructure. It was conceived to bridge Nigeria’s technology gap and foster home-grown industrialisation.
Its mandate includes research into capital goods production, reverse engineering, development of scientific equipment, engineering designs, standardization, and the development of power equipment. With a network of development institutes spread across the country, NASENI has consistently worked to ensure that Nigeria builds its own technological base rather than rely solely on imports.
In recent years, under Mr. Halilu’s leadership, NASENI has intensified efforts to ensure that its branded products are market-ready and certified by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria. Reports indicate that about 35 NASENI products have been identified as ready for the market, and plans are underway to establish showrooms in all 36 states of the federation to showcase these innovations and link them directly with consumers and industries.
The NRCGP therefore builds on this foundation, providing a practical avenue for researchers to connect their innovations with industry and society. By adopting a digitalized and transparent application process, NASENI is addressing long-standing concerns about accessibility and fairness in grant administration.
The process also ensures that researchers across all parts of the country, including underserved regions, can apply without the barriers of travel and excessive paperwork.
This initiative represents more than a grant opportunity. It is a deliberate effort to build a culture of research commercialization that would reposition Nigeria for growth. It signals a move away from research for its own sake towards research that delivers measurable impact in the economy. It also affirms NASENI’s commitment to ensuring that science, engineering and technology are not just academic disciplines but engines of development.
In the words of Ms. Elugbe, this is not just about grants but about creating a culture where research becomes the heartbeat of national progress. With the NRCGP, NASENI has placed a framework in the hands of researchers, institutions and innovators. The responsibility now rests with them to rise to the challenge of transforming their ideas into products, their prototypes into industries, and their academic efforts into national prosperity.
The NASENI Research Commercialisation Grant Programme is expected at the long run to eliminate the era of decades of thousands of abandoned research and development (R and D) products that are meant to be in the market solving everyday humanity problems.