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The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has reconstituted an expanded National Research Fair and Exhibition Committee for 2026, as part of efforts to accelerate the commercialisation of research findings, deepen collaboration between academia and industry, and drive job creation in Nigeria.
Speaking at the inauguration of the committee in Abuja, TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, said the decision followed the success of the maiden National Research Fair and Exhibition held in November 2024, which showcased research outputs, innovations and inventions from Nigerian tertiary institutions and research organisations.
Echono said the inaugural fair held at Eagle Square, Abuja, provided a platform for researchers to engage industry players and investors, helping to bridge the long-standing gap between research and commercial application.
According to him, the event was widely adjudged a success, with several innovations finding their way into the Nigerian market, an achievement, he said, that had the potential to stimulate job creation and economic growth.
“It was based on the performance and impact of the maiden edition that the board of trustees approved the reconstitution and expansion of the organising committee to accommodate a broader spectrum of stakeholders, particularly the organised private sector and community inventors,” he said.
He explained that the expanded committee now includes representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, the military, innovation hubs across the country, the Association of Nigerian Inventors and other critical stakeholders.
Echono said the committee is chaired by renowned technocrat, Umar Bindir, whom he described as a strong advocate of home-grown technologies with extensive experience in academia and public service, as well as several patents and international recognitions.
He added that the committee also comprises accomplished professors, members of TETFund’s National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee, captains of industry and other eminent professionals.
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The Executive Secretary said the committee’s mandate is to identify, collate and showcase proven research outputs, technologies and products developed through TETFund interventions and other innovation programmes, while creating partnerships among researchers, industries, investors and technology experts to facilitate commercialisation.
Among its terms of reference, he said, are developing a national database of research outputs and technologies from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and research institutes; screening and selecting innovations for exhibition; clustering technologies by sector to attract investors; collaborating with event planners and stakeholders; and organising an international conference to reinforce TETFund’s leadership in research funding and innovation across Africa.
He urged the committee to work towards hosting the next National Research Fair and Exhibition between the second and fourth week of November, noting that the period would ensure wider participation before the Christmas season.
“We want this fair to become the nation’s foremost platform for innovation, a one-stop destination for inventors, researchers, investors and industry players,” Echono said.
He stressed that the committee should facilitate the mainstreaming of indigenous technologies into the Nigerian economy to generate employment, create wealth and support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Expressing confidence in the committee’s ability to deliver on its mandate, Echono said its members had been carefully selected based on their professional competence and experience.
“I am confident that you will, individually and collectively, deploy your expertise to narrow the gap between research and industry and ensure that this fair grows into a truly national platform for innovation, technology and commercialisation,” he said.
