The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday in Kano launched the Energise Commercialisation Now (ECoN) initiative as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to turn research and innovation into economic growth.
The programme is aimed at driving innovation, attracting investment, and boosting industrial production across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
With the theme “From Innovation to Industry: Energising Commercialisation,” the initiative seeks to close the gap between ideas developed in research institutions and their real-world industrial application.
At the event, Mrs Tinubu described Nigeria as highly creative and innovative, but noted that many ideas from universities and innovation centres fail to reach the market due to systemic barriers.
She said the ECoN initiative is designed to address these challenges by creating a supportive environment that nurtures talent and helps transform ideas into successful businesses.
According to her, the programme supports President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda focused on industrialisation, digital development, and diversification, adding that it will boost job creation, productivity, and long-term economic growth.
She also stressed the importance of inclusivity, urging greater participation of women and young people in the innovation ecosystem, saying it would strengthen families, improve security, and promote sustainable development.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, described the initiative as a landmark project and said hosting it in Kano reflects confidence in the state’s role in driving innovation-led development in northern Nigeria.
He added that the programme would help bridge the gap between research outputs and commercial use, turning academic ideas into scalable enterprises.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Tochukwu, said the initiative is already attracting strong interest, with over 1,000 innovation submissions and early investment commitments recorded.
He said the launch reflects the government’s commitment to using science and technology as key drivers of national development.