Udeh unveils plans to boost commercialisation and enterprise growth, while EU officials spotlight €95m in joint research investments and expanding institutional ties……
The Federal Government has unveiled fresh plans to overhaul Nigeria’s research financing architecture as part of a broader push to accelerate innovation, commercialise research outputs and stimulate enterprise development.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kingsley Udeh, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the Nigeria–EU Science and Innovation Day. The high-level gathering brought together policymakers, academics, innovators and private-sector leaders to strengthen cooperation and institutional partnerships between both sides.
Delivering the keynote address, Udeh said the government is working to expand research funding mechanisms and deepen international collaborations to ensure that scientific breakthroughs translate into tangible economic value.
According to him, priority areas for joint engagement include agricultural productivity and food security, digital transformation, and emerging technologies. He added that implementation would be coordinated through an inter-ministerial framework chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, signalling high-level political backing for the initiative.
“The Federal Government is advancing plans to strengthen research financing mechanisms and expand international research partnerships in order to accelerate commercialisation and support enterprise development,” the minister said.
On the European side, the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, described co-creation as the cornerstone of EU–Nigeria collaboration in science and innovation.
Rather than a one-way transfer of expertise, Mignot said the partnership is structured around shared ownership and joint problem-solving. He stressed that science and innovation remain critical to delivering inclusive and sustainable development, particularly in areas such as food security, digital connectivity and climate resilience.
He explained that EU engagement in Nigeria is designed to reinforce national innovation systems, build institutional capacity and strengthen research-to-market pathways. Much of this cooperation is aligned with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which supports digital transformation, innovation ecosystem development and financing frameworks for creative industries.
Also speaking, the European Commission’s Director for International Cooperation in Research and Innovation, Nienke Buisman, noted that Nigeria has emerged as one of Africa’s leading participants in Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme.
She said Nigerian universities, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises are actively partnering with European counterparts across strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence applications, sustainable agriculture, fintech innovation and climate adaptation under the AU–EU Innovation Agenda.
Under Horizon Europe, 55 projects involving Nigerian entities have secured approximately €20 million in funding across health, agriculture, food systems and environmental sectors.
Beyond that, Nigeria is participating in 12 projects under the Global Health EDCTP3 programme, drawing an estimated €75 million in total investment, with 15 Nigerian organisations currently engaged.
Buisman described ongoing discussions between Nigeria and the European Union as an opportunity to consolidate existing cooperation within a more coherent and forward-looking framework. She encouraged stakeholders on both sides to strengthen institutional linkages and scale up joint research efforts.
As Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on traditional revenue streams, the renewed focus on research financing and innovation partnerships signals a strategic shift, one aimed at transforming laboratories and ideas into market-ready solutions capable of driving long-term growth.
About the Author
