NOTAP, NUJ FCT Forge Partnership to Commercialise Research, Drive Innovation and Revenue Growth

By Iyojo Ameh

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, have agreed to deepen collaboration to promote the commercialisation of research findings, strengthen technology transfer and increase public awareness of innovation as part of efforts to boost Nigeria’s economic growth.

Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, disclosed this while receiving the leadership of the NUJ FCT Council, led by its Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, during a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

Amadiobi said NOTAP is intensifying efforts to bridge the gap between research institutions and industry by creating opportunities for innovators to access funding and commercialise their inventions.

She announced that the agency would host the National Technology and Innovation Summit at the Civic Centre, Lagos, on October 7 and 8, 2026, bringing together researchers, innovators, manufacturers, financial institutions, investors and the Bank of Industry.

According to her, the summit will serve as a platform for strategic matchmaking between researchers and investors, enabling innovative ideas developed in Nigerian institutions to attract funding, reach the market and contribute to national economic development.

She explained that the initiative aligns with NOTAP’s mandate to promote technology acquisition, encourage indigenous innovation and transform research outputs into commercially viable products capable of creating jobs, improving competitiveness and increasing government revenue.

The NOTAP boss stressed that the media has a vital role in advancing science, technology and innovation by helping Nigerians understand emerging technologies and their economic benefits.

She said one of the agency’s key responsibilities is to domesticate and adapt foreign technologies to meet Nigeria’s development needs through the growth of local technical expertise.

Amadiobi noted that Nigeria had long depended on imported technologies but said NOTAP’s Local Vendor Policy had helped reverse the trend, particularly in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

She explained that the policy requires Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to invest in local capacity development, leading to the emergence of indigenous software developers and ICT professionals making significant contributions both within and outside Nigeria.

According to her, the agency plans to replicate the success recorded in the ICT sector across manufacturing, engineering and other critical sectors through technology transfer, skills development and greater local participation.

The Director-General also revealed that NOTAP is developing a technology and innovation hub that will provide practical demonstrations of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to make technology education more interactive and accessible.

She added that the agency is partnering with technology firms, including Huawei, MTN and Airtel, to build the capacity of its staff and enhance Nigeria’s ability to assess imported technologies.

On youth development, Amadiobi unveiled the National Outsourcing Value Acceleration (NOVA) Programme, designed to equip young Nigerians with industry-relevant skills through simulation-based training before exposing them to practical experience in sectors such as engineering, maritime and manufacturing.

She said the programme is expected to bridge the country’s skills gap and improve the global competitiveness of Nigerian youths.

The Director-General further disclosed that several state governments, including Niger State, have expressed interest in partnering with NOTAP to establish innovation centres in their states.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, described NOTAP as a strategic institution driving Nigeria’s technological advancement through technology acquisition, technology transfer, intellectual property protection and indigenous innovation.

She said stronger collaboration between the media and innovation agencies is essential to accelerating national development.

“The future of Nigeria depends on strong partnerships between institutions that inform, innovate and inspire. NOTAP stands at the heart of Nigeria’s technological progress, and the media has a responsibility to explain innovation, amplify it and connect it with the people,” she said.

Ike noted that the visit was aimed at establishing a long-term partnership between the NUJ FCT Council and NOTAP in public enlightenment, innovation advocacy, capacity building and national development.

She proposed regular training programmes for journalists covering science, technology and innovation to improve reporting on intellectual property, technology transfer, research commercialisation and innovation policies.

She also advocated joint public awareness campaigns on intellectual property rights, patents and technology transfer to educate inventors, researchers, startups and technology developers on the importance of protecting and commercialising their innovations.