By Uzair Adam
Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has called on Nigerian universities to move beyond conducting research solely for academic publication and focus on transforming research findings into commercially viable products capable of addressing national development challenges.
The Vice-Chancellor of BUK, Professor Haruna Musa, made the call on Tuesday during the university’s First National Conference and Exhibition on Research and Development, which concluded after two days of deliberations involving researchers, industry experts, policymakers and development partners.
Speaking on the significance of the conference, Professor Musa said Nigerian universities must adopt deliberate strategies to showcase and commercialise research outputs rather than limiting them to academic journals.
According to him, many researchers across Nigerian universities concentrate on publishing their findings without sufficient efforts to translate them into products and services that can benefit society.
“Our research efforts should not end on the pages of journals. We need deliberate initiatives to convert research findings into commercially viable products that can contribute to national development,” he said.
The vice-chancellor explained that the university, through its Directorate of Research, Innovation and Partnership (DRIP), organised the maiden conference and exhibition to create a platform where government agencies, industry players and academics could collaborate on commercialising research outcomes.
He expressed satisfaction with the innovations and inventions displayed at the exhibition, describing them as evidence of the immense talent available within Nigerian universities and research institutes.
“What I have seen here shows that Nigerians are talented and that our universities and research institutes are producing research capable of addressing our developmental challenges,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. (Barr.) Obiageli Edith Amadiobi, emphasised the need to strengthen linkages between academia and industry to ensure that research addresses real-world problems.
She said the gap between universities and industries could be bridged through deliberate partnerships and programmes that encourage industry-driven research.
According to her, NOTAP’s Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship Programme was designed to support PhD candidates working on research topics identified by industries, thereby ensuring that research outcomes respond directly to market needs.
She noted that research should be problem-oriented and capable of providing practical solutions.
“If there is no problem, there can’t be any solution. The challenges facing industries are better handled by researchers in universities, and that is why we are working to strengthen the linkage between industry and academia,” she said.
The NOTAP boss further stressed the importance of moving from what she described as “research for the shelf” to “research for the market.”
She observed that research loses much of its value when its findings remain unused, adding that universities across the world increasingly support research that can be translated into products and commercial ventures.
Amadiobi also highlighted the importance of intellectual property protection and patent registration for researchers.
She explained that original innovations should be patented to ensure inventors retain ownership rights and benefit from their discoveries.
“Whatever you research into and it is original, you have to own it. By patenting it, you secure your rights and can continue to benefit from the intellectual property,” she said.
She urged universities to establish comprehensive intellectual property policies that clearly define ownership rights, revenue-sharing arrangements and responsibilities relating to research outputs and innovations.
Earlier, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Professor Muhammad Maina, described the conference as a successful first attempt at creating a national platform for discussions on research commercialisation and innovation.
He said the event exceeded expectations and provided valuable lessons that would help improve future editions.
“This is the first national conference and exhibition on research and development in Bayero University. We have tested the waters and can now improve on what we have done, widen participation and attract more exhibitors in the future,” he said.
Maina noted that organisers intend to expand future editions to accommodate more students, researchers and institutions from across the country.
He added that recommendations and observations made during panel discussions would be carefully reviewed and incorporated into the university’s future research and innovation strategies.
According to him, issues relating to intellectual property, research partnerships and commercialisation featured prominently during discussions and would help shape the activities of the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Partnership.
“We have taken note of all the important contributions made during the conference. They will help us recalibrate our standards, improve our operations and strengthen research and development activities within the university,” he said.
The conference, themed “Bridging Knowledge and Enterprise: Intellectual Property, Partnership and Research Commercialisation,” brought together academics, innovators, government officials and industry stakeholders to explore ways of transforming research outputs into products and services that contribute to economic growth and national development.
