WorldStage— The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is using education, technology, research and innovation to drive Nigeria’s transition from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy, with 41 University Innovation Pods, UniPods, planned across tertiary institutions to turn research into jobs, investment and measurable economic impact.
Speaking on the future and sustainability of the UniPods during Meeting with UNDP and seven Vice Chancellors on UNDP Innovation HUB, Alausa said the initiative reflected President Tinubu’s strong belief in education as the bedrock of national development and his ambition to build a one trillion dollar economy.
He said eight UniPods had either been commissioned or were ready for commissioning, with three already operational at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
Other specialised centres include the Blue Economy UniPod in Akwa Ibom, AgroTech in Benue State University, Resilience Tech in Borno State, GovTech at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Industrial Tech in Plateau State.
The Minister stressed that the success of the initiative would be measured not by the buildings and equipment alone, but by the solutions and economic value they generate.
Building on this, Alausa said Nigeria must move beyond research conducted largely for academic promotion to a system where research is taken from the laboratory to the market and ultimately to real impact.
He cited the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University, where researchers have developed geospatial maps showing deposits of lithium, gold and bauxite, including information on their locations and depths.
According to him, such innovations represent major economic opportunities if investors are connected to researchers and provided with pathways to commercialise their discoveries.
He said government had already reduced the initial risks by providing infrastructure, equipment and technical capacity, making private investment and commercialisation the next critical step.
The Minister further said the Federal Ministry of Education, in partnership with UNDP and Tech4Dev, was working towards establishing about 41 UniPods over the coming years.
He said the centres must not remain dependent on grants but should become financially sustainable enterprises capable of generating revenue, supporting their universities and attracting talent.
Alausa explained that the UniPods would operate within an appropriate governance framework developed by the Ministry and UNDP, while eligible centres would be able to establish commercial accounts in line with existing government guidelines for university research centres.
He said part of the revenue generated could be retained by the UniPods to sustain their operations, while another portion would support targeted technological development within their host universities.
Speaking in the same vein, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, said the UniPods should be viewed beyond their academic functions and positioned as instruments for accelerating Nigeria’s industrialisation.
She said the focus should shift from asking only how much knowledge research would generate to determining how much value and economic opportunity it could create.
Professor Ahmad therefore urged universities to expose students and researchers to industrialisation and commercialisation, so that innovative ideas could become products, services and businesses capable of contributing to national development.
She also stressed that the benefits of the UniPods should extend beyond their host institutions, with students and researchers from other universities able to access the facilities, subject to appropriate procedures.
She described the UniPods as a national opportunity for Nigerian students with innovative ideas and the capacity to contribute to the country’s development, regardless of their institutions.
Also speaking, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, commended Dr. Alausa for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness and innovation.
She appreciated the Minister of State, vice chancellors, UniPod directors, students and other stakeholders for their commitment to the initiative.
Attafuah said the changing global development landscape required countries to generate their own wealth and competitiveness, describing the UniPods as instruments for advancing Nigeria’s reform agenda, creating jobs and helping citizens realise their potential.
She said UNDP was ready to facilitate South South cooperation, including possible engagement with India, while strengthening the emerging network among the UniPods and supporting their governance, financing and sustainability.
The Minister assured that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to work with UNDP, Tech4Dev, universities and other partners to make the UniPods sustainable centres of innovation, enterprise and economic opportunity.
He said the Ministry would pursue effective governance and financing arrangements that would enable the centres to generate and responsibly manage resources, attract investment and support their host institutions.
Alausa said the ultimate goal was to ensure that President Tinubu’s investments in education and technology translate into practical research, viable businesses, jobs and highly skilled young Nigerians capable of driving Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge based economy.
