The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has once again took steps to strengthen the Nigeria’s quest to increase the commercialization of all Research and Development (R&D) outcomes to boost the Nigerian economy in different sectors.
This mandate is encapsulated in a well- documented collaboration between NASENI and the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (NASENI-PICTT) which recently launched the DELTA-2 Project Second Call for Proposals, focusing on Commercialization of all R&D, a move that has intensified since the emergence of Khalil Suleiman Halilu as Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI,
The Delta-2 Project is a bilateral collaboration by the Federal Government of Nigeria through NASENI-PICTT and the Czech Republic through the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR) and it targets submissions from innovators, technology entrepreneurs and researchers in Nigeria across mining, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, science and engineering, etc.
The First Call for Proposals under the Delta-2 project was launched in the year 2022, following which grants were disbursed by NASENI to winners of the approved projects to scale up their enterprises, with notable achievements made.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu administration, the Nigerian government has resolved to diversify the economy with technology and entrepreneurship with specific support for innovators, which will encourage home-grown productivity, reduce dependence on foreign products and create jobs for the teeming youth in Nigeria.
During the launch of the second call for Proposals in Abuja last week, the NASENI boss, Halilu, referred to the success of the previous DELTA-2 sponsored projects that are already serving as catalysts to the Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, adding that the programme is yielding results.
“Today, we can point to the stories of 12 beneficiaries from the First Call, Nigerians who are working on diverse projects across our country. From renewable energy solutions to advanced materials, from agricultural technologies to manufacturing innovations, these projects testify to the power of applied research to solve real problems, create jobs, and deliver products and services that meet the needs of our people”, he said.
Halilu noted that what makes DELTA 2 unique is its focus on outcomes. “It is not research for the sake of research; it is research with purpose and market in mind. It is research that leads to new knowledge, new skills and new products. It is research that bridges the gap between laboratory and the marketplace, between ideas and impact.
“It is also a bridge between nations — between Czech enterprises and Nigerian innovators, between European expertise and African creativity. Together, we are building partnerships that accelerate progress, foster mutual respect and infinite possibilities for both our countries”, he emphasized.
The most critical part of the project is perhaps its potential to respond not only to the current needs of the society, but also anticipate the challenges of tomorrow — from climate change to digital transformation and this is one aspect that researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs in Nigeria can exploit to enhance their contribution to make the country more relevant within the comity of nations.
The project is also a testament of comprehensive commitment across all Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) under the current administration, which shared the vision of NASENI to expand Nigeria’s technological and entrepreneurial landscape.
In this regard, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, in his remarks at the occasion said “The theme is clear, it is to generate research outcomes that will lead to new products, new processes, apply results that directly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness, create jobs and open new markets at home and abroad.’
The diverse range of the projects are in critical sectors of agriculture and food technology, renewable energy, mining and industrial development, health and health technologies, advanced manufacturing, digital mobility, climate technology and defence innovations, reflecting the determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bequeath a lasting legacy with his Renewed Hope Agenda.
This project appears to be a break from the past where previous research materials are left to languish on shelves. It appears to point to a forward-looking approach to boost growth and development by exploiting the intellectual capabilities in the country, bringing the nation’s products to the global market and making the country more competitive.
The Minister gave a hint to this direction saying “let me emphasize, this is not research for shelves. This is research for impact. Every funded project must deliver tangible, scalable and commercially viable outcomes that respond to Nigeria’s real challenges and opportunities. Nigerian researchers, companies and innovators must seize this opportunity to build a greater Nigeria through innovation and technology transfer.”
Chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT), Dr. Dahiru Mohammed, echoed this mindset during his remarks at the launch, which he affirmed has become a major driver of innovation, economic growth and sustainable development in Nigeria, stressing that it is aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s technological growth through international collaboration.
“The DELTA-2 Programme is a catalyst for job creation, enhanced productivity and the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It will help reduce dependence on imports while boosting Nigeria’s global competitiveness,” he stated.
The achievements of the previous call for proposals launched in May 2022, had attracted 285 submissions from Nigerian researchers and companies, out of which 25 projects were funded in 2023, which has resulted in innovative products and services across agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and other strategic sectors which have already created jobs, built capacity and advanced technology transfer.
Dr. Tope Agbana, the CEO of A.DX Medical, Netherlands also commended NASENI and PICTT for the initiative and pleaded that there should be an Inter-disciplinary collaboration- student mentorship. “We should have students that we mentor, teach and motivate and that will help to deliver solutions, and I think that with this, we will go very far,” he pleaded even as he pledged to support the programme full time, through funding, partnership and collaborators to tell the world the success story.
The real essence is that by co-funding research and development projects this programme transforms ideas into tangible solutions, addressing needs in critical sectors. The success of this project facilitated through partnership between Nigeria Government and Czech Republic highlights the imperative of collaboration to champion innovation.
The central part is the formation of consortia that unite research agencies, universities and entrepreneurs creating a whole new dimension in knowledge, skill development and enterprise.
Nigeria will do well to sustain this project through massive investment and funding because the opportunities are huge and the benefits massive.
