Nigeria is strengthening its push to place Science, Technology and Innovation at the center of national development following a high-level meeting between the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST) and the United Nations.
The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, paid a courtesy visit to the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mohammed Malik Fall, at the United Nations House as part of efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s innovation-driven agenda.
The engagement reflects a renewed commitment by FMIST to reposition Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) as a core pillar of Nigeria’s economic transformation, competitiveness, and inclusive growth.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Kingsley Udeh said Nigeria sees STI not just as policy tools but as key drivers of sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, job creation, and socio-economic inclusion.
“Science, technology and innovation must serve as practical tools for transforming lives and unlocking Nigeria’s full potential. Through structured collaboration with the United Nations, we can develop bankable, transformative projects that deliver measurable national impact and position Nigeria as a leading STI hub in Africa,” the Minister stated.
He described the United Nations system as a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s STI ecosystem and stressed the need for stronger institutional alignment between FMIST and existing UN country programmes.
The Minister proposed the creation of a structured UN–FMIST Working Group to move engagement beyond periodic consultations toward clear frameworks and joint implementation mechanisms.
He listed priority areas for collaboration to include technical support for commercialization of research outcomes, strengthening research-to-market frameworks, development of pipelines of bankable STI projects, and identification of joint programmes capable of transforming Nigeria’s innovation landscape.
Dr. Udeh noted that Nigeria must leverage global expertise, frameworks, and platforms within the UN system to accelerate research commercialization and unlock the economic value of innovation.
Responding, Mr. Mohammed Malik Fall welcomed the Minister and reaffirmed the United Nations’ readiness to deepen collaboration with Nigeria in advancing sustainable development driven by innovation.
He referenced major global frameworks such as the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations, noting that Science, Technology and Innovation are central pillars within these commitments.
Mr. Fall outlined the UN’s priority focus areas in Nigeria, which include expanding STI access across universities, communities, and the civil service, strengthening inter-ministerial and agency partnerships, advancing energy-for-development initiatives including clean cooking solutions and green hydrogen, maximizing value from critical minerals, driving human capital development, and organizing youth-centered STI hackathons to promote entrepreneurship and innovation.
He emphasized the importance of coordination between FMIST, its agencies, and UN bodies to ensure coherence, eliminate duplication, and maximize development impact.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Philip Ndiomu, reiterated the Ministry’s commitment and said it would prioritize coordination across departments and agencies to ensure effective implementation of agreed initiatives with the United Nations system.
He explained that strengthening internal capacity, improving policy coherence, and institutionalizing structured engagement mechanisms would be essential to delivering measurable results and sustaining long-term impact within Nigeria’s Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem.
The meeting ended with both sides agreeing to formalize a joint working structure, deepen institutional engagement, and establish practical mechanisms to drive innovation-led, inclusive, and sustainable development across Nigeria, reinforcing FMIST’s determination to position STI at the forefront of national transformation through global partnerships and homegrown solutions.
