NOTAP, NUJ FCT Forge Partnership To Commercialise Research, Boost National Revenue

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has reaffirmed its commitment to commercialising research findings from Nigerian institutions through strategic partnerships, investor matchmaking and funding opportunities aimed at accelerating industrial development and increasing national revenue.

Director-general of NOTAP, Dr Obiageli Amadiobi, made this known when she received the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, during a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

The visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between both organisations to promote indigenous innovation, technology transfer and greater public awareness of intellectual property rights.

Dr Amadiobi announced that NOTAP would host the National Technology and Innovation Summit in Lagos, on 7 and 8 October 2026.

She said the summit would bring together researchers, innovators, manufacturers, financial institutions, investors and the Bank of Industry to facilitate the commercialisation of research outputs through strategic partnerships.

According to her, the event will create opportunities for researchers to connect directly with investors and industry stakeholders, enabling innovative ideas and technologies developed in Nigerian institutions to attract funding, reach the marketplace and contribute to economic growth.

She noted that the initiative aligns with NOTAP’s statutory mandate to promote technology acquisition, encourage indigenous innovation and ensure that research findings are transformed into commercially viable products and services capable of creating jobs, enhancing competitiveness and boosting government revenue.

The director-general stressed that the media has a vital role to play in promoting science, technology and innovation, adding that effective and accurate reporting would accelerate Nigeria’s technological advancement.

She explained that one of NOTAP’s core responsibilities is to domesticate and adapt foreign technologies to meet Nigeria’s development needs, a process that requires building local expertise capable of understanding, improving and sustaining imported technologies.

The NOTAP boss added that the agency intends to replicate the success achieved in the ICT sector across manufacturing, engineering and other strategic sectors through technology transfer, skills development and increased local participation.

She also disclosed that NOTAP is establishing a technology and innovation hub that will provide practical demonstrations of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to make technology education more interactive and accessible.

According to her, the agency is collaborating with leading technology companies, including Huawei, MTN and Airtel, to strengthen staff capacity and improve Nigeria’s ability to assess and adapt imported technologies.

Earlier, chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, described NOTAP as a strategic institution driving Nigeria’s technological transformation through technology acquisition, technology transfer, intellectual property protection and the promotion of indigenous innovation.

She said stronger collaboration between institutions responsible for innovation and communication was essential to achieving sustainable national development.

“The future of Nigeria depends on strong partnerships between institutions that inform, innovate and inspire. NOTAP stands at the very heart of Nigeria’s technological progress. Your work is not only important but strategic,” she said.

Comrade Ike noted that after reviewing the agency’s programmes and achievements, she was impressed by its contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.

“You are helping to shape a Nigeria that does not merely consume ideas but creates them. As journalists, we recognise that technology and communication are inseparable. The media has a responsibility not only to report innovation but to explain it, amplify it and connect it with the people,” she added.

She said the visit was intended to establish a mutually beneficial partnership between the NUJ FCT Council and NOTAP in the areas of public enlightenment, innovation advocacy, capacity building and national development.

According to her, the media can play a significant role in promoting NOTAP’s initiatives, increasing public understanding of technology policies and showcasing 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 policy.

Comrade Ike further advocated joint public awareness campaigns on intellectual property rights, patents and technology transfer targeted at inventors, researchers, start-ups and technology developers, describing public education as essential to building a vibrant innovation-driven economy.