Bayero University Kano (BUK) and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) have called for stronger collaboration between universities and industry to address the persistent challenge of research findings failing to translate into products, services and businesses that can drive Nigeria’s development.
The call was made at the 1st National Conference and Exhibition on Research and Development organised by the university’s Directorate of Research, Innovation and Partnership (DRIP) in Kano.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of BUK, Prof. Haruna Musa, said strengthening intellectual property protection, strategic partnerships and research commercialisation was essential to ensuring that innovations developed in Nigerian universities reach the market and create real impact.
“Without intellectual property, we lose value. Without partnership, we lack scale. Without commercialisation, impact remains theoretical, Prof. Musa said.
The conference, themed “Bridging Knowledge and Enterprise: Intellectual Property, Partnership and Research Commercialisation,” brought together researchers, policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to discuss ways of transforming academic research into solutions that address societal challenges and contribute to economic growth.
Prof. Musa said universities must move beyond producing knowledge for academic purposes and focus on translating research into practical outcomes.
According to him, BUK is committed to supporting researchers through capacity building, patent protection and stronger engagement with industry.
He described the exhibition segment of the conference as an opportunity to showcase research outputs as viable innovations capable of attracting investment and industry interest.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NOTAP, Dr Obiageli Edith Amadiobi, said the agency was working to bridge the gap between innovators and industry through programmes designed to promote technology transfer and industry-focused research.
She highlighted the NOTAP Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship, which supports doctoral candidates to research topics identified by industries as critical to their operations.
According to her, the programme is helping to strengthen collaboration between universities and the private sector while improving the relevance of academic research.
Dr Amadiobi urged researchers to prioritise innovations that address real-world problems and can be commercialised for national development.
A panel comprising representatives of government, academia and industry identified inadequate funding, limited practical exposure, and weak linkages between universities and industry as major obstacles to innovation in Nigeria.
The panellists noted that while government policies are important, deliberate efforts are needed to connect innovators with industries capable of supporting product development, commercialisation and market access.
They also stressed the need for stronger partnerships that would enable researchers to understand industry needs and develop solutions tailored to those challenges.
As part of the pre-conference activities, DRIP organised the BUK Students Innovation Competition 2026 Final Pitch, providing a platform for students to present innovative ideas and prototypes to solve societal problems.
Nura Idris of the Department of Electrical Engineering emerged as the winner of the competition and received a cash prize of N300,000.
The Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. Muhammed Maina, announced Yahaya Muhammed Nazir as the first runner-up, while Sheriff Mudasir, Abdulazeez Rabiu Danmaihaja and Hameed Saddam finished third, fourth and fifth respectively.
Prof. Maina said the top five contestants would receive financial incentives and support to encourage innovation among students.
He added that initiatives such as the competition were designed to inspire students to develop solutions that could eventually be commercialised and deployed to address societal challenges.
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