NOTAP Calls for Collaboration to Close Infrastructure Gap

Nigeria’s Innovation Ecosystem Faces Structural Challenges

Nigeria's technology transfer agency has emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between government, industry and private investors to tackle infrastructure gaps that hinder innovation and the commercialization of locally developed ideas. The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) highlighted that coordinated partnerships are essential to bridge structural deficits in infrastructure and improve awareness of intellectual property (IP) across the country. This comes as policymakers work to convert research output into economic value.

The call was made by NOTAP's Director-General/Chief Executive, Dr Barr Lady Amadiobi, who was represented by the Director of Technology Innovation and Commercialisation, Mrs Ada Oladunke, at the 6th edition of the National Engineering Science and Technology Essay Competition (NESTEC). The event was organized by the Blue Apple Educational Foundation and held in Lagos.

During the event, NOTAP pointed out that Nigeria's innovation ecosystem is still constrained by weak infrastructure, limited access to commercialization pathways and insufficient awareness of IP protection mechanisms among researchers and young innovators. The agency argued that strengthening partnerships across public and private sectors would be crucial to building systems that can turn ideas from laboratories and classrooms into viable commercial products.

“Commercialization of local innovations remains the ultimate pathway to national development,” the agency stated, adding that Nigeria must focus on transforming “raw knowledge into economic wealth” through structured innovation pipelines.

Emphasis on Early-Stage IP Protection

A key part of NOTAP’s intervention was the need for early-stage IP protection. The agency stressed that innovators should prioritize patenting their ideas as a first step in securing ownership and long-term value. These comments came at a time when Nigeria's innovation policy community is increasingly focused on closing what researchers call the "valley of death"—the gap between academic research and market-ready technologies, where many prototypes fail due to lack of funding, business support and commercial validation.

This year’s NESTEC competition reflected this shift. Organizers said the program has evolved from a traditional essay-based contest into a prototype-driven initiative aimed at preparing students for real-world commercialization challenges.

The 2026 edition, themed “Commercialisation of Innovative Ideas: The Pathway to National Development,” brought together industry experts, academics and student innovators in a format designed to link academic research with enterprise development.

A Shift Toward Practical Innovation

President of BAEF, Akan Michael, said the restructuring marked a deliberate shift in focus from theoretical writing to practical innovation outcomes. “For the past five editions, we asked students to write down their ideas. For this sixth edition, we are moving from essay writing to prototype development and commercialization,” he said. “We want students to leave here not just with certificates, but with blueprints for viable businesses.”

Under the revised framework, finalists received training on prototype development, intellectual property rights and technology transfer, while participation was expanded beyond engineering students to include science and medical disciplines.

At the event, academic and industry speakers warned that Nigeria’s innovation system continues to suffer from structural weaknesses that undermine its ability to translate research into scalable solutions.

Addressing Key Challenges in the Innovation Ecosystem

In a presentation titled “Beware of Digital Colonisation and the Valley of Death,” Prof Emmanuel Eronu of the University of Abuja’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Technology said Nigeria’s research ecosystem is constrained by weak financing mechanisms and limited commercial orientation. He identified four key challenges: the absence of bridge financing between research grants and private investment, limited entrepreneurial skills among researchers, insufficient validation of market demand and weak IP protection culture.

To address these issues, he proposed a framework focused on early problem validation, lean development approaches, stronger IP safeguards and the formation of hybrid teams combining technical and business expertise.

Another speaker, Assoc. Prof. Dr Rabiu Abdulkadir of Shandong Xiehe University in China, urged participants to prioritize problem-solving over technology development, warning against overreliance on artificial intelligence tools trained on foreign datasets. “Start with problems, not technology. People buy solutions, not tech,” he said, adding that Nigeria must avoid becoming a passive consumer of imported digital systems.

He cautioned that AI systems often fail to reflect local realities in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and infrastructure, describing this as a form of “digital colonisation.”

Final Outcomes and Encouragement for Future Participation

The competition concluded with only six participants meeting final eligibility requirements to be named NESTEC ambassadors. They include Wisdom Jonathan, Deborah Edet, Enekeme Isaac, Queendaline Eka, Ogbowu Miracle and Umoh Moses.

Organizers said the selection was based on verified student status and compliance with programme requirements, adding that the initiative maintains strict standards for participation. Despite the rigorous selection process, organizers said consolation prizes were awarded to eligible participants, while encouraging others to return for future editions.

Closing the event, Prof Tolulope Akinbulire of the University of Lagos praised the quality of submissions and urged participants to remain committed to developing commercially viable innovations.