Nigeria’s 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 the nation’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.
In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the Minister made this known while speaking on the future and sustainability of the UniPods in Asaba, Delta State, during a Meeting with UNDP and 7 Vice-Chancellors on the UNDP Innovation HUB
He explained that the initiative reflects President Tinubu’s strong belief in education as the bedrock of national development and his ambition to build a one trillion dollar economy.
The Minister 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 at Benue State University, Resilience Tech in Borno State, GovTech at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Industrial Tech in Plateau State.
“The success of the initiative would be measured not by the buildings and equipment alone, but by the solutions and economic value they generate,” he said.
Alausa said Nigeria must move beyond research conducted primarily for academic promotion to a system where research outcomes are translated from laboratories into marketable solutions with real-world impact.
The Education Minister cited the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University, where researchers have developed geospatial maps identifying deposits of lithium, gold and bauxite, including their locations and depths.
According to him, such innovations represent significant economic opportunities if investors are connected to researchers and provided with pathways to commercialise their discoveries.
“Government had already reduced the initial risks by providing infrastructure, equipment and technical capacity, making private investment and commercialisation the next critical step,” Alausa noted.
The Minister further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education, in partnership with UNDP and Tech4Dev, was working towards establishing about 41 UniPods across the country in the coming years.
He said the centres must not remain dependent on grants but should evolve into 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 further explained that part of the revenue generated could be retained by the UniPods to sustain operations, while another portion would support targeted technological development within their host institutions.
Speaking at the event, 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 how much knowledge research generates to determining how much value and economic opportunity it creates.
Professor Ahmad 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.
“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,” the Minister stressed.
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 UNDP Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, commended Dr Alausa for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness and innovation.
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 added that 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.
Alausa gave the assurance 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 ultimate goal was to ensure that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s investments in education and technology translate into practical research, viable businesses and sustainable economic growth.
