25, July 2026
The Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, has entered a new partnership with Israel to address Nigeria’s challenge of turning university research into commercial products.
The announcement was made in Abuja on Friday during the closing ceremony of iFAIR Cohort 4 and an Innovation Showcase.
Israel confirmed funding for the fifth edition of the Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers, iFAIR 5, scheduled to launch in October 2026. TETFund also unveiled plans to set up innovation centres in more than 60 tertiary institutions nationwide.
Officials said the initiative is a response to concerns that thousands of research findings produced yearly by Nigerian universities end up as dissertations and journal articles instead of industries and jobs. TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, said the core problem is not a lack of ideas but the inability to convert research into viable products. He added that the new innovation centres will serve as incubation hubs where students and researchers can develop prototypes, access engineering support, and attract investors.
Outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said the fellowship is part of efforts to help Nigerians build indigenous technology rather than rely on imported solutions. He noted that the programme brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers, investors and government institutions to move ideas into businesses that can create employment and grow the economy.
Speakers warned that Nigeria must speed up technology adoption and artificial intelligence to remain competitive globally.
Technology entrepreneur, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji said with a median age of 17.6 years, Nigeria’s youth could become a liability if productivity does not improve.
He stressed that countries that fail to adapt to AI risk long-term economic decline, and commended the Israel partnership for focusing on technology transfer.
The event also featured dozens of prototypes by young innovators in agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy and community development. Head of Programmes at Innov8 Hub, Tolulope Aina, urged the graduating fellows to push their products into the market. Innov8 Hub officials said the organisation has supported more than 3,000 innovators and entrepreneurs, and manufactured over 10,000 face shields locally during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The renewed Nigeria-Israel collaboration is expected to expand mentorship, deepen technology transfer, and attract investment into research commercialisation. For universities, officials said the focus will now shift from academic papers to startups, patents, manufacturing and globally competitive enterprises as part of efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil.
