By Olakunle Oke
The Federal Government and the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) have agreed to strengthen collaboration on promoting scientific innovation and research in Nigeria following a high-level meeting between the Minister of Education and the leadership of NLNG.
The Minister of Education received Prof. Bart Nnaji, former Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Power, and current Chair of the NLNG Prize for Science, alongside Sophia Horsfall, General Manager of NLNG, and their leadership team in his office this week.
Discussions centred on the future of the NLNG Prize for Science and Technology, which this year recorded no qualifying submissions. The meeting explored strategies for the Federal Government to move beyond the annual prize by actively supporting Nigeria’s science and technology ecosystem—especially in empowering researchers, scientists, and innovators to commercialise their intellectual property.
The session was held in collaboration with the Research, Innovation and Commercialisation Committee (RICC), inaugurated earlier this year to bridge the gap between academia and industry by transforming research findings into viable products and services. The RICC team also briefed the Minister on their ongoing programmes and pilot initiatives.
It was agreed that a Technical Working Group would be established, comprising representatives from NLNG and RICC, to review and strengthen the framework of the Science and Technology Prize. One of the key proposals includes splitting the award into two sub-categories to expand participation and recognition for Nigerian scientists and researchers.
The Minister commended Prof. Bart Nnaji and the NLNG team for their commitment to advancing science and innovation in Nigeria, describing Nnaji as “a true national treasure.” He also appreciated the efforts of RICC Chair, Mr. Tayo Aduloju, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), for his leadership in fostering research and innovation linkages.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, the Minister said the Ministry of Education will continue to expand opportunities for learners, academics, and researchers to translate knowledge into national development, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Education.