The Federal Government is establishing 41 university innovation pods, otherwise known as UniPods, across tertiary institutions to harness research, technology, and innovation in driving Nigeria’s transition from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.
Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, disclosed this during a meeting with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and seven vice-chancellors on the sustainability and future of the UNDP Innovation Hubs, a statement on Wednesday by the special adviser to the minister on media and communication, Mr. Ikharo Attah, said.
Alausa said the initiative was in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of using education, technology, research, and innovation to create jobs, attract investment, and build a $1 trillion Nigerian economy.
According to him, eight UniPods have either been commissioned or are ready for commissioning, while three are already operational at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University, and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
He listed some of the specialized centers to include the Blue Economy UniPod in Akwa Ibom; the AgroTech UniPod at Benue State University, Resilience Tech UniPod in Borno State, GovTech UniPod at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and the Industrial Tech UniPod in Plateau State.
The minister stressed that the success of the initiative would not be measured by the buildings and equipment alone but by the solutions, businesses, jobs, and economic value generated from the facilities.
He said the country must move away from a system where research was conducted primarily for academic promotion to one where discoveries were taken from the laboratory to the market and translated into tangible economic benefits.
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Alausa cited the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University, where researchers have developed geospatial maps identifying deposits of minerals such as lithium, gold, and bauxite, including information on their locations and depths.
He said such discoveries could create enormous economic opportunities if investors were effectively connected with researchers and provided with appropriate pathways to commercialize their innovations.
The minister noted that the government had already reduced the initial risks associated with innovation by providing infrastructure, equipment, and technical capacity, adding that the next priority was to attract private investment and facilitate commercialization.
He said the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with UNDP and Tech4Dev, was working towards establishing about 41 UniPods over the coming years.
Alausa stressed that the centers must not remain dependent on grants but should evolve into financially sustainable enterprises capable of generating revenue, supporting their host universities, and attracting skilled personnel.
He explained that the UniPods would operate under an appropriate governance framework being developed by the ministry and UNDP, while eligible centers would be able to establish commercial accounts in accordance with existing government guidelines for university research centers.
According to him, part of the revenue generated by the centers could be retained to sustain their operations, while another portion would be channeled into targeted technological development in their host universities.
Alausa assured that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to work with UNDP, Tech4Dev, universities, and other partners to develop the UniPods into sustainable centres of innovation, enterprise, and economic opportunity.
He said the ministry would pursue effective governance and financing arrangements that would enable the centers to generate and responsibly manage resources, attract investment, and support their host institutions.
The minister said the ultimate objective was to ensure that the federal government’s investments in education and technology translated into practical research, viable businesses, jobs, and highly skilled young Nigerians capable of driving Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.
The minister of state for education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, said the UniPods should be seen beyond their academic functions and positioned as instruments for accelerating Nigeria’s industrialization.
She said the focus should no longer be limited to determining how much knowledge research could generate but also how much value, economic opportunity, and employment it could create.
Ahmad urged universities to expose students and researchers to industrialization and commercialization, stressing that innovative ideas should be transformed into products, services, and businesses capable of contributing to national development.
She also advocated wider access to the UniPods, saying students and researchers from institutions outside the host universities should be able to use the facilities under appropriate arrangements.
The Minister of State described the initiative as a national opportunity for Nigerian students with innovative ideas and the capacity to contribute to the country’s development, irrespective of their institutions.
Also speaking, the UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, commended Alausa for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness, and innovation.
Attafuah said the changing global development landscape required countries to develop their own wealth and competitiveness, describing the UniPods as important instruments for advancing Nigeria’s reform agenda, creating jobs, and helping citizens realize their potential.
She said UNDP was ready to facilitate South-South cooperation, including possible collaboration with India, while strengthening the emerging network among the UniPods and supporting their governance, financing, and sustainability.
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