The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to advancing innovative homegrown solutions to address Nigeria’s most pressing health and development challenges through strategic partnerships and accelerated commercialization of research outcomes.
The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, disclosed this in Abuja while receiving representatives of Grand Challenges Nigeria, a national platform dedicated to supporting transformative innovations in health and development.
Dr. Udeh said collaboration between government, innovators, researchers, and development partners remains critical to overcoming healthcare challenges, unemployment, and food insecurity across the country. He explained that FMIST is focused on showcasing impactful research achievements while ensuring that Made-in-Nigeria innovations move beyond the laboratory into the marketplace.
“At FMIST, our mission is clear — Energize. Commercialize. Now. We are determined to create an enabling environment where Nigerian innovations move swiftly from research to market, delivering measurable impact for our people and strengthening our economy,” the Minister stated.
He added that Nigeria’s vast pool of scientific talent and entrepreneurial capacity positions the nation to develop practical and scalable solutions to urgent national challenges. According to him, the Ministry is strengthening policies that support innovation, protect intellectual property, and attract investment into research-driven enterprises.
Earlier, the Programme Director of Grand Challenges Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Bamsa, revealed that the initiative has awarded seed grants to nine transformative innovations under its inaugural Request for Proposals focused on improving maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes nationwide.
Bamsa said the selected projects demonstrate the strength of Nigerian-led innovation and highlight the potential of homegrown solutions in addressing critical public health concerns.
Grand Challenges Nigeria, inaugurated in 2024 by Vice President Kashim Shettima, is part of a broader global innovation network with projects across Canada, India, China, Brazil, Pakistan, and several African countries.
Through sustained collaboration and a deliberate push toward commercialization, FMIST said it remains committed to transforming research into enterprise, innovation into industry, and ideas into national prosperity.
