A national effort to connect research, government, and industry in addressing Nigeria’s development challenges took center stage on Tuesday, as stakeholders convened in Abuja for the 2025 edition of the Science and Business (SciBiz) Conference.
The event, themed “Collaborative Ecosystems for Sustainable Innovation and Economic Growth,” united policymakers, academics, and private sector leaders to examine how Nigeria can foster a knowledge-driven economy rooted in innovation and strategic partnerships.
Representing the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Board’s Director of Corporate Services and President of Triple Helix Nigeria, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, described the forum as “a significant milestone in our collective pursuit of a knowledge-driven economy powered by innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development.”
Halilu emphasized that the NCDMB, via its Research and Development Framework, continues to back initiatives that bridge research and industry, fostering indigenous innovation and the commercialization of homegrown technologies.
“Since its legal establishment four years ago, Triple Helix Nigeria has achieved remarkable progress,” he noted. “We have maintained quarterly webinars, biannual capacity-building workshops, and awareness campaigns that have established the initiative as a key convener of ideas, people, and solutions advancing Nigeria’s innovation dialogue.”
Conference chair Professor Eucharia Nwaichi praised the NCDMB for its crucial role in sustaining the Triple Helix platform and driving the success of the SciBiz initiative.
She stated: “The accomplishments to date would not have been possible without the NCDMB’s unwavering commitment and support. The Board’s leadership has shown that public institutions can serve as powerful catalysts for innovation when they invest in people, partnerships, and ideas.”
According to Nwaichi, the 2025 edition received 381 abstracts from Nigeria and the diaspora – 204 from the South-South region, 62 from the North-Central, and the remainder distributed across other areas.
“This diversity highlights the vibrancy of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and its potential for deeper collaboration,” she added.
Nwaichi outlined the program’s guiding vision, known as 10-10-10-10, which aims for 10 Nigerian universities to acquire at least 10 percent equity in 10 listed public companies over the next 10 years, generating tangible impacts in research and entrepreneurship.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, noted that the university’s partnership with the Triple Helix network aligns with its mission to convert research into market-ready solutions.
“In a world driven by rapid technological advancements, no sector can succeed in isolation,” he said. “Our Energy Technology Institute demonstrates how universities can bridge the divide between theory and practice, research and market application.”
He encouraged young innovators “not to wait for tomorrow to become relevant,” stressing that the world rewards performance over mere potential.
CypherCrescent’s Technical Director and CEO, ThankGod Egbe, announced his company’s collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt to establish the Energy Technology Institute. He explained that the project, grounded in the Triple Helix philosophy, will “propel innovation in Nigeria’s energy sector and extend its influence across Africa.”
Now in its second year, the SciBiz Conference has emerged as a vital platform for fostering collaboration between public and private sectors. Stakeholders highlight its increasing impact as evidence of Nigeria’s steady transition toward an innovation-led economy – one that NCDMB and its partners emphasize must be supported through concrete investments rather than mere rhetoric.
