As Nigeria intensifies efforts to strengthen research and innovation in its tertiary institutions, researchers funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) are offering firsthand insights into how targeted interventions are driving meaningful academic and socio-economic outcomes.
Speaking from lived experience, beneficiaries explain how TETFund-backed projects have transformed their research journeys, expanded institutional capabilities, and opened new pathways for impactful scholarship.
Their experiences emerged during the cohort 30 Research for Impact (R4i) initiative, a collaborative endeavour by TETFund and Innov8 Hub held recently in Abuja.
The initiative seeks to usher in a new era of innovation, technology, research, and development in Nigeria, aiming to spur economic growth and comprehensive national development.
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Nigeria, a nation brimming with resources and untapped potential, faces multifaceted challenges, including the abandonment of research projects, stifled innovation, lost economic opportunities, and reduced global competitiveness.
R4i was conceived as a strategic response to these pressing issues. The two-week immersive programme, tailored for Nigerian academics and researchers, focuses on instilling a culture of innovation, empowering demand-driven research, and facilitating the commercialisation of research findings.
Through the application of design thinking principles, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creative problem-solving techniques, R4i inspires researchers to transcend conventional boundaries. It represents the unwavering commitment of Innov8 Hub and TETFund to reshape Nigeria's research landscape and unlock the nation's vast potential for sustainable progress.
I Walked In A Lecturer, I'm Leaving An Innovator- Mohammed
Lele Mohammed, a lecturer from Federal Polytechnic Bauchi speaks
The R4i training at Innov8 Hub, sponsored by TETFund, has been a transformative experience. I have always viewed research as an academic pursuit, focused on publications and theoretical knowledge. However, this training has opened my eyes to a new reality: research should drive real-world impact, solve pressing problems, and generate wealth.
Through thought-provoking lectures on innovation, emotional intelligence, pitch script creation, and hands-on practical sessions, I learned how to turn ideas into marketable prototypes. The experience was nothing short of revolutionary. I am now equipped with the tools and mindset to think beyond traditional academia and explore the world of commercialisation.
One of the most exciting moments was the prototyping session, where I saw firsthand how ideas can be transformed into tangible solutions. This reinforced my belief that research should not be confined to academic papers but should translate into viable products that impact society and create wealth.
I leave this programme with a renewed sense of purpose, not just for myself but for my students as well. I am now on a mission to inspire them to see research as a tool for innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal development.
Instead of conducting research solely for publication and promotion, they can focus on solving real problems, creating sustainable solutions, and turning ideas into thriving businesses.
R4i has given me the knowledge, confidence, and motivation to embrace innovation. I am no longer just a lecturer; I am an innovator, an entrepreneur, and a changemaker. This experience has provided me with a blueprint for success, and I am determined to use it to create lasting impact.
R4i has been life-changing. I walked in as a lecturer; I leave as a visionary. Research is more than academia; it is a gateway to impact and success. To make a difference, I will use the stipend I receive at the end of the training to fund and commercialise the best student project I supervise. This is just the beginning. The journey has just begun, and the future is filled with endless possibilities.
R4i Changed My Research Mindset-Abodenyi
Engr Victoria Ada Abodenyi from Federal Polytechnic Bauchi narrates her experience.
Knowledge, they say, is power; I would add, only if you know how to utilise it. What if I told you that more than half the knowledge acquired from our tertiary institutions has not transcended into power? There is a big gap in transferring knowledge from problem to action-based solutions, which invariably would lead to impact.
Looking back at the years I have spent as a researcher in classrooms, laboratories, and workshops, with no meaningful action for impact and findings hidden in books and journals stacked on shelves, it would have been easy to despair.
But I refused to despair because the realisation that NOW is the time for impactful change in innovative research was ignited by the experience I had at R4i.
From day one to the last day, R4i was transformative. A group of intellectuals, ranging from seasoned facilitators with state-of-the-art knowledge, delivered thought-provoking, practical problem-solving sessions. Each session had something new to offer; it was a continuous cycle of learning, unlearning, and relearning for me.
The young, talented experts, the mind-blowing laboratories, and workshops with innovative designs and prototypes producing impactful results made viable ideas flow effortlessly. I realised it is no longer business as usual. Research should be problem-based, driving impactful solutions, adding value to the system, and leading to commercialisation.
My unreserved appreciation goes to TETFund, Innov8 Hub, and Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, for such a remarkable experience.
R4i Rewired My Thinking-Abayomi
Fakunle Abayomi, Polytechnic of Ibadan speaks about his experience at the cohort
As a tech enthusiast, I was thrilled to be nominated as a participant for the Research for Impact (R4i) initiative.
Reflecting on my journey in mechatronics, I realised much of my work had focused on proof-of-concept projects, creating prototypes simply to show they worked.
While valuable, these efforts often felt limited in real-world application, and the R4i programme promised a shift towards creating impactful solutions.
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Arriving at Innov8 Hub felt like stepping into a dream. The sheer creativity and abundance of innovation left me awe-struck. My inner geek was thrilled, I had never seen such a high concentration of talent and professionals in one space.
Excellence seemed to radiate from every corner, from engineers to facilitators, to support staff who greeted us warmly. It felt as though everyone woke up each day determined to be extraordinary.
The R4i initiative, powered by TETFund and Innov8 Hub, is remarkable.
Throughout the course, I experienced a paradigm shift: the importance of conducting research with purpose. Demand-based research, I learned, not only benefits the researcher but also addresses critical societal problems, driving impactful solutions.
The journey from ideas to concepts, prototypes, and eventually to creating not just a viable product but a thriving business awakened the problem-solver in me. One highlight was participating in the innovation and engineering process while developing our exercise device prototype.
This experience underscored the immense advantage of collaborative, team-based problem-solving.
I also gained insights into new processes that I am eager to replicate at school.
I express my deepest gratitude to TETFund and Innov8 Hub for enabling the R4i initiative, to our facilitators and engineers for their guidance and dedication in turning our ideas into reality, and to Dr T. A. Lasisi, Rector of the Polytechnic Ibadan, for championing our role as institutional ambassadors from R4i 30."
