WorldStage– The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has shortlisted 12 research proposals from an initial 169 submissions under its Research Commercialisation Grant Programme (NRCGP), bringing the initiative closer to selecting six beneficiaries whose innovations will receive support for commercialisation.
The programme, designed to bridge the gap between research and industry, seeks to identify innovative research with strong commercial potential and help transform laboratory breakthroughs into market-ready products.
Speaking on the latest episode of the NASENI Window Podcast, recorded at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja, the Team Lead of the NRCGP and Deputy Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms. Joy Elugbe, said the Agency received 169 proposals from eligible universities, polytechnics and research institutes across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
She explained that after the application window closed, NASENI engaged 21 professors with expertise across the Agency’s approved thematic areas to independently assess the originality and technical quality of the submissions.
According to Elugbe, an initial screening eliminated duplicate and ineligible entries, reducing the number of proposals to 49. The shortlisted proposals were subsequently evaluated by NASENI’s Innovation Hub to determine their commercial viability and potential for market adoption.
She disclosed that 12 proposals—two from each geopolitical zone—have now advanced to the due diligence stage, from which six final grant recipients will emerge.
“Our objective is not simply to fund research but to invest in innovations that can successfully reach the market and deliver real impact,” she said.
Elugbe noted that the grant programme was conceived to tackle one of Nigeria’s longstanding innovation challenges, where many promising research outcomes remain uncommercialised due to inadequate funding.
She said the initiative, championed by the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, is focused on supporting research with the capacity to create jobs, generate economic value and accelerate Nigeria’s industrial development.
“The idea behind the programme is to identify innovative and commercially viable research outputs that have remained on the shelves because of lack of funding, and provide the support needed to transform them into products that can impact the economy,” she added.
Explaining the concept of commercialisation, Elugbe described it as the process of converting research findings, inventions or services into profitable products that address market needs. She said the initiative aligns with NASENI’s strategic focus on Collaboration, Creation and Commercialisation (3Cs), emphasising that innovation only achieves its full value when it reaches end-users.
She also revealed that following the launch of the application portal, the Proposal Evaluation Team embarked on sensitisation campaigns across the country’s six geopolitical zones, complemented by radio awareness programmes, to educate prospective applicants on the programme’s requirements and application process.
According to her, the nationwide outreach significantly boosted participation and improved the quality of proposals received.
Beyond grant funding, Elugbe said successful innovators will receive continued support through NASENI’s Innovation Hub, including technical guidance, market advisory services and commercialisation assistance to ensure their products achieve sustainable market success.
The NASENI Research Commercialisation Grant Programme was inaugurated in March 2025 to promote innovation, technological advancement and the commercialisation of research outcomes in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
