NOTAP, NUJ join forces to turn Nigerian research into wealth.

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council, has reaffirmed its commitment to commercialising academic research findings through strategic partnerships and funding opportunities aimed at boosting national revenue and accelerating industrial development.

Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, disclosed this on Monday while receiving the leadership of the NUJ FCT Council during a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. The visit was aimed at establishing a strategic collaboration to promote indigenous innovation, technology transfer and awareness of intellectual property.
Dr. Amadiobi announced that NOTAP will host a National Technology and Innovation Summit at the Civic Centre in Lagos on October 7 and 8, 2026. She said the event will bring together innovators, researchers, manufacturers, financial institutions, investors and the Bank of Industry to facilitate the commercialisation of research outputs.
According to her, the summit will create opportunities for researchers to connect with investors and industry stakeholders through strategic matchmaking, enabling innovative ideas and technologies developed in Nigerian institutions to secure funding, enter the market and contribute to economic growth.
She explained that the initiative aligns with NOTAP’s mandate of promoting technology acquisition, encouraging indigenous innovation and ensuring that research findings are transformed into commercially viable products and services capable of creating jobs, improving competitiveness and increasing national revenue.
The NOTAP Director-General stressed that journalists have a crucial role in shaping public understanding of science, technology and innovation, adding that effective media coverage would help accelerate Nigeria’s technological advancement.
She also noted that one of the agency’s major responsibilities is the domestication and adaptation of foreign technologies to meet Nigeria’s development needs. According to her, this requires building local expertise capable of understanding, adapting and improving imported technologies.
Dr. Amadiobi lamented that Nigeria had for years been a dumping ground for foreign technologies due to inadequate local capacity. However, she said NOTAP’s Local Vendor Policy has significantly changed the narrative, especially in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
She explained that the policy requires Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to invest in developing local capacity by training Nigerians, resulting in the emergence of indigenous software developers and ICT professionals making remarkable contributions both locally and internationally.
The Director-General added that the agency plans to replicate the achievements recorded in the ICT sector across manufacturing, engineering and other critical sectors through technology transfer, skills development and increased local participation.
She further revealed that NOTAP is developing a technology and innovation hub where emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), will be practically demonstrated to make learning more interactive and accessible.
According to her, the agency is also collaborating with leading technology companies, including Huawei, MTN and Airtel, to strengthen the capacity of its staff and enhance Nigeria’s ability to effectively evaluate imported technologies.
On youth development, Dr. Amadiobi unveiled the National Outsourcing Value Acceleration (NOVA) Programme, designed to equip young Nigerians with industry-relevant skills through simulation-based training before exposing them to practical field experience in sectors such as maritime, engineering and manufacturing.
She said the programme would bridge Nigeria’s skills gap while positioning young Nigerians for global employment opportunities. She also disclosed that several state governments, including Niger State, have expressed interest in partnering with NOTAP to establish similar innovation centres.
Speaking during the visit, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, described NOTAP as a strategic institution driving Nigeria’s technological advancement through technology acquisition, technology transfer, intellectual property protection and the promotion of indigenous innovation.
She said Nigeria’s future depends on stronger collaboration between institutions that inform, innovate and inspire, adding that NOTAP occupies a central position in advancing the country’s technological progress.
Comrade Ike revealed that she had studied the agency’s activities before the visit and was impressed by its achievements in transforming Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.
She noted that journalists recognise the close relationship between technology and communication and have a responsibility not only to report innovation but also to explain it, promote it and connect it with the public.
The NUJ FCT Chairman said the visit was intended to establish a mutually beneficial partnership focused on public enlightenment, innovation advocacy, capacity building and national development.
According to her, the media can play a significant role in promoting NOTAP’s programmes, increasing public understanding of technology policies and supporting indigenous innovations.
She also proposed regular capacity-building programmes for journalists covering science, technology and innovation to improve reporting on intellectual property, technology transfer, research commercialisation and innovation policies.
Comrade Ike further advocated joint public awareness campaigns on intellectual property rights, patents and technology transfer targeted at inventors, researchers, startups and technology developers.