Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, speaking during a fireside chat organised by the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) in Abuja.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, says, Nigeria’s challenge is no longer a lack of ideas or talent, but the inability to convert innovation into real economic value.
Speaking during a fireside chat organised by the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) in Abuja, Udeh said Nigeria possesses vast natural and human resources but has consistently failed to transform them into value-added goods, jobs and industrial growth.
According to him, the major obstacle is the fragmentation of Nigeria’s science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem, where government agencies, researchers, private sector players and innovators operate in silos with little coordination.
“Nigeria is not bereft of ideas or talent. You find Nigerians in advanced science and technology sectors across the world. What we lack is synergy, focus and a connected ecosystem that turns research into products,” Udeh stated.
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The minister explained that under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the government is repositioning science, technology and innovation as an integrated ecosystem where research, funding, regulation and commercialisation work together.
He disclosed that the ministry is developing a national STI roadmap to align innovation efforts with market and national needs, while strengthening collaboration among agencies such as the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP).
According to him, NOTAP will no longer stop at issuing patent certificates but will now work with other institutions to help innovators move from patents to prototypes, products and commercialisation.
He mentioned that one of the major policy shifts highlighted was the 30 per cent value-addition bill, recently passed by the National Assembly and awaiting presidential assent.
The bill mandates those raw materials, including minerals and agricultural produce like cocoa and cassava, to undergo at least 30 per cent local processing before export.
According to the minister, the law will boost industrial capacity, deepen value chains and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on exporting raw materials.
“You cannot talk about value addition without putting infrastructure and incentives in place. That is why the law includes a moratorium period to allow industries build capacity,” he said.
On national security, Udeh revealed that the Federal Executive Council has approved the launch of four new satellites, three optical and one Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to strengthen Nigeria’s surveillance as well intelligence capabilities.
He revealed that the ministry is already working with the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces to deploy satellite-generated geospatial data for security operations.
“Security is everyone’s business. Our role is to provide science and technology tools that support intelligence and decision-making,” he said.
Udeh disclosed that Nigeria currently has 52 technology incubation hubs and 68 intellectual property and technology transfer centres, but admitted many are under-utilised.
Speaking on energy, the minister said the Energy Commission of Nigeria is driving a solarisation programme that is moving universities and hospitals off the national grid to renewable energy.
He explained that Nigeria is also building local capacity to manufacture solar components and train manpower, rather than relying solely on imports.
Experts Call for Systemic Reform
In a keynote address, former Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu, warned that Nigeria risks falling behind by generations if it fails to build a functional national innovation system.
He identified weak links between academia and industry, poor funding, infrastructure gaps and brain drain as major barriers to development.
“Talent alone is not enough. Systems matter. Research must translate into goods, services and jobs that improve lives,” Onwualu said.
He urged the government to urgently operationalise the National Research and Innovation Fund, strengthen intellectual property protection and prioritise commercialization of research.
The speakers agreed that Nigeria must urgently transition from a consumption-driven economy to a production-based, knowledge-driven economy, powered by coordinated investment in science, technology and innovation.
Earlier the Executive Director CSEA Dr Chukwuka Onyekwena stressed that success will depend on sustained funding, strong public-private partnerships and deliberate alignment of research with national as well as market needs.
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