Nigeria will showcase its research-driven innovations with the potential to create businesses, generate jobs and stimulate economic growth at the 2026 Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, National Research Fair and Exhibition.
The four-day event, scheduled for Nov. 24 to Nov. 27 in Abuja, will bring together researchers, inventors, investors, industry players and financial institutions to facilitate the commercialisation of research findings from Nigerian tertiary institutions and research centres.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr Umar Bindir, 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.
He explained that 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.
According to him, the initiative is designed to connect researchers and inventors with investors, industries, financial institutions and business development experts to help transform their ideas into viable businesses.
Bindir said intellectual property experts in patents, trademarks and industrial designs had also been invited to provide free guidance on protecting the innovations.
He added that business development experts would advise innovators on business registration, product development, standardisation and other requirements for establishing 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.
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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 the innovations and accelerate their entry into the market.
Bindir recalled that the previous edition introduced a deal-room arrangement that connected inventors with financial institutions, creating opportunities for funding and business partnerships.
He said the 2026 edition would strengthen the involvement of the business community, enabling companies to identify, adopt and support innovations with commercial potential.
The committee chairman also disclosed that the fair would feature an international symposium with participants from China, India, Canada and Japan, alongside representatives of the World Bank, UNESCO and the African Development Bank.
He said 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 take place at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry Trade Fair Complex, along Abuja Airport Road.
He added that 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 logistical support to the committee.
NAN
