Universities, polytechnics and research institutes compete for funding as agency drives market-ready innovation under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda
NASENI Shortlists 12 Innovations from 169 Research Proposals for Commercialisation Grant
By Pan Afric Reporters
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has shortlisted 12 innovative research proposals from an initial 169 submissions received from universities, polytechnics and research institutes across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones under its Research Commercialisation Grant Programme (NRCGP), marking a significant step toward transforming locally developed research into commercially viable products.
The initiative, designed to bridge the long-standing gap between academic research and industrial application, seeks to identify innovations with strong market potential and provide the financial and technical support needed to move them from laboratories to the marketplace, thereby accelerating industrialisation, job creation and economic growth.
Speaking on the latest edition of the NASENI Window Podcast, the Team Lead of the NASENI Research Commercialisation Grant Programme (NRCGP) and Deputy Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms. Joy Elugbe, disclosed that the agency received 169 proposals from eligible higher institutions and research organisations nationwide.
She explained that to ensure transparency and credibility in the selection process, NASENI engaged 21 professors with expertise in the agency’s thematic focus areas to assess the originality, technical quality and innovation content of the submissions.
According to Elugbe, a rigorous preliminary screening eliminated duplicate and non-compliant applications, reducing the number of proposals to 49, after which NASENI’s Innovation Hub evaluated their commercial viability and market potential.
“Following the evaluation process, 12 proposals—two from each geopolitical zone—have progressed to the due diligence stage before the final selection of six grant beneficiaries. The objective is not simply to fund research but to invest in innovations that can successfully reach the market and deliver real impact,” she said.
She noted that the grant programme was established to address one of Nigeria’s major innovation challenges—the inability of many groundbreaking research findings to move beyond academic shelves because of inadequate funding and limited commercial support.
According to her, the initiative, championed by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, focuses on research capable of generating economic value, creating employment opportunities and strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base.
“The idea behind the programme is to identify innovative and commercially viable research outputs that have remained on the shelves because of lack of funding, and provide the support needed to transform them into products that can impact the economy,” Elugbe stated.
She described commercialisation as the process of converting inventions, research outputs and technological solutions into profitable products and services capable of meeting market demands.
Elugbe explained that the programme aligns with NASENI’s strategic development framework built around its three pillars of Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation (3Cs), emphasizing that innovation only achieves meaningful impact when it reaches end-users and addresses societal needs.
She further revealed that following the launch of the application portal, the Proposal Evaluation Team embarked on extensive sensitisation campaigns across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, complemented by radio awareness programmes, to educate researchers on the application process and programme requirements.
According to her, the nationwide awareness campaign significantly improved both participation and the quality of proposals submitted.
Beyond financial support, Elugbe assured successful applicants that NASENI would provide continuous post-award assistance through its Innovation Hub, including technical mentoring, business development support, market advisory services and commercialisation guidance to enhance the success of the selected innovations.
The NASENI Research Commercialisation Grant Programme, inaugurated in March 2025, forms part of the agency’s broader strategy to promote indigenous innovation, technological advancement and research commercialisation in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, while positioning Nigeria’s research institutions to contribute more effectively to national industrial and economic transformation.
