By Jumoke Olaitan

‎Nigeria will showcase between 400 and 500 research-driven innovations with the potential to create businesses, generate jobs and boost economic growth at the 2026 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fair and Exhibition.

‎The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr Umar Bindir, said this during  the committee’s meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

‎Bindir said the fair, scheduled to hold between Nov. 24  and Nov. 27, was aimed at taking research findings from academic institutions and laboratories to the marketplace.

‎He said the committee received between 4,000 and 5,000 applications from universities, polytechnics, Colleges of Education, research institutions and private innovators across the country.

‎According to him, only innovations with practical applications and reasonable levels of development were selected for exhibition.

‎”We want to showcase innovations that have the potential to move beyond research and become products and services that can solve real problems,” Bindir said.

‎He said the selected innovations cover critical sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, sanitation, housing and clothing.

‎Bindir explained that the initiative was designed to connect researchers and inventors with investors, industries, financial institutions and business development experts to help turn their ideas into viable businesses.

‎He said intellectual property experts in patents, trademarks and industrial designs had also been invited to provide free guidance on protecting the innovations.

‎The committee chairman added that business development experts would guide innovators on business registration, product development, standardisation and the steps required to establish sustainable businesses.

‎”Many inventors have good ideas but lack the funding and business knowledge needed to take them to the market. We are bringing the relevant institutions together to bridge that gap,” he said.

‎Giving an update on previous editions of the fair, Bindir said between 30 and 40 innovations had reached advanced stages and were undergoing commercialisation processes.

‎He, however, noted that several others still required support in areas such as funding, business development and product standardisation.

‎”Between 30 and 40 of these innovations are already at advanced stages, while many others are still at intermediate stages and need further support,” he said.

‎He said TETFund’s partnership with Innovat8 Hub was also exploring ways to support such innovations and bring them closer to the market.

‎Bindir recalled that the previous edition introduced a deal-room arrangement that connected inventors with financial institutions and created opportunities for funding and business partnerships.

‎He said the 2026 edition would further strengthen the involvement of the business community to encourage companies to identify, adopt and support innovations with commercial potential.

‎The committee chairman also disclosed that the fair would feature an international symposium.

Participants would drawn from China, India, Canada and Japan, as well as representatives of the World Bank, UNESCO and the African Development Bank.

‎According to him, the international engagement would promote knowledge exchange, expose Nigerian innovators to global standards and showcase the country’s research capabilities.

‎”We want Nigeria to move from being a country that generates knowledge but depends on other countries’ products to one that develops technologies and produces goods that can serve other countries,” he said.

‎Bindir said the exhibition would hold at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry Trade Fair Complex, along Abuja Airport Road.

‎He said the committee had reached out to ministers, state governors, heads of government institutions and other stakeholders, urging them to attend and explore the innovations.

‎He commended TETFund Executive Secretary, Mr Sonny Echono, for providing administrative and logistics support to the committee. ‎(NAN)

Edited by Uche Anunne