Dr Kazeem Abubakar, a science policy researcher, says Nigeria must adopt a clear, long-term Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) agenda anchored on funding, infrastructure and human capital development.
This approach, he said, was essential for the country to break into the comity of nations with huge revenue from science and technology.
Abubakar, who is Head of the Department of Science Policy and Innovation Studies (SPIS),National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), said this in an interview on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that there was need for a shift from policy rhetoric to measurable, outcome-driven innovation strategies in the next decade.
He said that Nigeria’s STI roadmap should prioritise increased research funding, recommending at least one per cent of GDP to support universities, laboratories and independent research institutions.
According to him, predictable funding will enable continuity in critical research areas such as agriculture, health technologies, renewable energy and digital innovation.
The researcher said that strengthening collaboration among academia, industry and government was essential to translating research outputs into commercially viable products and services.
He further said that Nigeria should build innovation hubs across geopolitical zones to decentralise opportunities and promote grassroots technological development.
Abubakar stressed the importance of reforming education curricula to align with emerging global trends, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing.
He said that equipping young Nigerians with relevant technical skills would position the country to compete effectively in the global knowledge economy.
The policy researcher also called for stronger intellectual property protection frameworks to ensure that innovators could safeguard and monetise their ideas.
He further advocated incentives such as tax breaks and grants to encourage private sector investment in research and development activities.
“Governance and accountability mechanisms must be strengthened to ensure STI policies are effectively implemented and monitored,” he said.
He expressed optimism that with sustained political will Nigeria could build a resilient innovation ecosystem capable of driving economic diversification and sustainable development over the next decade.
