The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI,has received 169 research proposals from universities, polytechnics and research institutes for its flagship Research Commercialisation Grant Programme.
The programme, designed to close the long-standing gap between laboratory research and industrial application, seeks out innovative research outputs with strong commercial potential and supports their journey from the shelves to the marketplace.
Disclosing the figures on the latest episode of the NASENI Window Podcast, recorded at the NASENI Studio in the Agency’s Abuja headquarters, the Team Lead of the NRCGP and Deputy Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms. Joy Elugbe, confirmed that submissions were received from eligible institutions nationwide.
Rigorous, Multi-Stage Screening
To guarantee transparency and technical credibility, NASENI engaged 21 professors with expertise cutting across the Agency’s approved thematic areas to evaluate the originality and technical quality of the entries.
According to Elugbe, an initial screening — which weeded out duplicate submissions and applications that failed eligibility tests — narrowed the pool from 169 to 49 proposals. Thereafter, the Agency’s Innovation Hub assessed the shortlist for commercial viability and market-adoption prospects.
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“Twelve proposals, two from each geopolitical zone, have progressed to the due diligence stage before the final selection of six grant beneficiaries will be done. The objective is not simply to fund research but to invest in innovations that can successfully reach the market and deliver real impact,” she said.
Elugbe explained that the NRCGP was conceived to confront one of Nigeria’s most persistent innovation bottlenecks — the volume of research breakthroughs that never leave the laboratory because of inadequate funding.
The initiative, she noted, is being championed by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, and targets research proposals with the capacity to generate economic value, create jobs and accelerate Nigeria’s industrial development.
“The idea behind the programme is to identify innovative and commercially viable research outputs that have remained on the shelves because of lack of funding, and provide the support needed to transform them into products that can impact the economy,” she stated.
Defining commercialisation, she described it as the process of converting an invention, research outcome or service into a profitable product that meets a genuine market need — a philosophy that aligns with NASENI’s strategic pillars of Collaboration, Creation and Commercialisation.
Nationwide Sensitisation Drove Participation
Elugbe revealed that after the application portal went live, the Proposal Evaluation Team embarked on sensitisation tours across the six geopolitical zones to educate prospective applicants on the requirements and application procedures. The exercise, reinforced by radio awareness campaigns, significantly boosted both the volume and quality of submissions.
She emphasised that NASENI’s intervention would not end with grant disbursement. Successful innovators will be plugged into the Agency’s Innovation Hub for continuous technical mentorship, market advisory services and commercialisation support to ensure that funded products achieve sustainable market success.
The NASENI Research Commercialisation Grant Programme was inaugurated in March 2025 to promote innovation, technological advancement and the commercialisation of research outcomes, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
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