The lamentation by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Kingsley Ude, regarding the poor utilisation of research findings from tertiary institutions appears to be a case of self-indictment by the authorities. Indeed, research findings from higher institutions in Nigeria have remained on laboratory shelves, in technical reports, or in academic journals for years. This has seemingly been the final destination for most research outputs from the country's universities and polytechnics. This situation demands urgent attention.
The government's observation of the sorry state of dissemination of university research findings suggests that the government itself is not responsible for the situation. The pertinent question then is: who is supposed to move these research findings to the next stage to facilitate their applicability to improving the human condition through commercialisation and solving practical challenges? That is what the government should focus on, rather than passing the buck and engaging in lamentation that adds no value to resolving the evident problem.
At the strategic meeting on the commercialisation of scientific research outcomes, which Ude held with commissioners of science, technology and innovation from across the country, he indicated that Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa that has invested appreciably in research and development across universities, polytechnics, and research institutes. However, the economic returns on these investments remain below expectations. He further stated that economic power is increasingly defined not by natural resources alone, but by the ability to convert knowledge into value. Countries that have mastered research commercialisation have built strong industrial bases, competitive technology sectors, and resilient economies.
According to the Minister, globally, Nigerian scientists and innovators are producing solutions in agriculture, renewable energy, biotechnology, digital technology, health sciences, manufacturing, and climate resilience. His main grievance is that a significant number of these research outputs are yet to be commercialised, resulting in unemployment, weak industrialisation, and low contribution to the country's gross domestic product (GDP). The gathering indicated that Nigeria cannot afford to remain a nation where research findings gather dust on shelves, and deliberate efforts are needed to build systems that support patenting, prototyping, incubation, venture financing, regulatory facilitation, and market access. The key takeaway was that commercialisation must become an integral part of the country's research culture.
The Operating Environment Matters
While fundamentally agreeing with the issues raised by the Minister and the meeting, it must be stated that the Nigerian operating environment is part of the issues that need to be put in perspective, as this quest for commercialisation of research findings is at the forefront of government policy formulation. As clearly stated, many research findings and breakthroughs in Western societies in Europe and the Americas are engineered and propelled by Nigerians operating in those societies. These are scholars who left Nigeria after struggling to cope with perennial problems of poor infrastructure, little or no energy supply, and insecurity while in Nigeria. However, when they leave Nigeria for societies where things work better, they turn into stars and produce research findings that attract the industrial sector in those countries, leading to breakthroughs generally attributed to those foreign countries. Environment matters significantly in the production and commercialisation of research findings. The government needs to address this to enhance the output of research findings in the country.
Needless to emphasise, the government must empower Nigerians with a regular supply of electricity, a secure environment, strong institutions, identification and reward of talents, meritocracy, and encouragement of initiatives, among other measures.
Quality of Research Findings
The other issue is the quality of the few research findings in the country. This is very critical and also depends on the state of the economy. Many scholars in Nigeria are busy struggling to make ends meet for themselves and their families in relation to basic needs, such that little focus is placed on the pursuit of excellence in research. Even though there are exceptions, most studies are conducted just to publish academic papers to enhance career progression and economic status through increased wages and promotion. Even when research grants are procured by many scholars, the focus is largely on how much money can be squeezed out of the grants through shrewd management of the research budget and controlled research expenditures, with the primary purpose of making as much income as possible from the grants. Hence, by and large, the quality of the research output is compromised and may not be attractive to the commercial or industrial sector. The key is the operating environment, which is not conducive to producing quality research findings. After all, is it not the same Nigerians who produce excellent research output in the West who, whilst at home, had struggled before their relocation to other environments?
Government's Role and Recommendations
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, should know where the problem lies. Many scholars are struggling to eke out a living for their families due to the harsh environment in which they operate. The government is indeed trying through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to support and fund research in tertiary institutions, but a lot more needs to be done to enhance the quality of research and thus its economic value and commercialisation. The government should enhance the living standards of university scholars by sustaining the new remuneration package already negotiated with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). This will help greatly. Otherwise, the perennial brain drain currently prevalent among university and polytechnic teachers and researchers will continue unabated.
