The issue of knowledge ownership in Nigeria has sparked a conversation about the country's ability to protect and commercialize its research and innovations. According to Seun Kolade, knowledge is not power until it is owned, and owning knowledge requires institutions capable of protecting, financing, scaling, and capturing its value. This conversation was further fueled by a recent conference held by the Academy for Transformative Leadership, where Professor Amos Fatokun shared his experience of collaborative research involving a Nigerian university.
Professor Fatokun's experience highlighted the challenges faced by academics in Nigeria when it comes to patent protection and research commercialization. During a collaborative research project, an invention worthy of patent protection was generated, but the Nigerian university involved was not prepared to meet the cost of obtaining a patent. In contrast, Liverpool John Moores University, where Professor Fatokun is based, was willing to cover the costs. However, the Nigerian university's lack of preparedness raised concerns about who would own the patent and benefit from the research.
The issue is not the absence of Nigerian brains or research, but rather the lack of institutional infrastructure to support the commercialization of knowledge. In advanced innovation systems, universities build institutions around researchers to support the patenting and commercialization process. This includes providing patent lawyers, technology-transfer specialists, venture capitalists, and licensing negotiators. In Nigeria, however, this infrastructure is still lacking, making it difficult for researchers to navigate the process of protecting and commercializing their innovations.
While some progress has been made in Nigeria, with the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) promoting Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices in universities and research institutions, more needs to be done. Some Nigerian universities have established structures for intellectual property development and commercialization, but these offices often lack the competence, industry relationships, and resources to move discoveries from laboratory benches into productive use.
The commercialization of research is a chain, and a chain is only as useful as its weakest link. Nigeria has become adept at celebrating the beginning of the chain, with universities announcing grants, academics publishing papers, and researchers receiving awards. However, the process often stalls in the "valley of death," where many inventions disappear due to a lack of patient capital, regulatory support, product development, market testing, and industrial partners.
Nigerian policymakers are increasingly recognizing the problem and have launched initiatives to strengthen links between universities, research institutions, and industry. NOTAP's mandate includes commercializing research and development results and promoting locally generated technologies. However, recognition is only the beginning, and universities need properly funded commercialization structures with professional staff to support researchers in moving their innovations towards impact.
To address this challenge, the Nigerian government must go beyond funding research and become a strategic customer of Nigerian innovation. Public procurement can play a crucial role in creating first markets for credible Nigerian innovations. By using its purchasing power to support Nigerian products and services, the government can help bridge the gap between research and commercialization and create a more enabling environment for innovation in Nigeria.
Key points
- Nigeria lacks institutional infrastructure to support the commercialization of research and innovations.
- The country's innovation ecosystem needs properly funded commercialization structures with professional staff to support researchers.
- Public procurement can play a crucial role in creating first markets for credible Nigerian innovations.
