The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has partnered with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, to promote the commercialisation of research findings, strengthen indigenous innovation and accelerate Nigeria’s economic growth through technology transfer.
Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, disclosed this on Monday while receiving the leadership of the NUJ FCT Council during a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Amadiobi said the collaboration would enhance public awareness of science, technology and innovation while helping to bridge the gap between research institutions, investors and industry.
She announced that NOTAP would host a National Technology and Innovation Summit at the Civic Centre, Lagos, on October 7 and 8, 2026, bringing together researchers, innovators, manufacturers, financial institutions, investors and the Bank of Industry to facilitate the commercialisation of research outputs.
According to her, the summit will provide a strategic matchmaking platform where innovative ideas and technologies developed by Nigerian researchers can attract funding, reach the market and contribute to national economic development.
She explained that the initiative aligns with NOTAP’s mandate of promoting technology acquisition, encouraging indigenous innovation and transforming research findings into commercially viable products capable of creating jobs, improving competitiveness and increasing national revenue.
The NOTAP boss stressed that journalists have a critical role in shaping public understanding of science and technology, noting that quality reporting would support Nigeria’s drive towards technological advancement.
Amadiobi also highlighted the agency’s efforts to domesticate and adapt foreign technologies to meet Nigeria’s developmental needs, saying the Local Vendor Policy has significantly reduced the country’s dependence on imported technologies, particularly in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
She said the policy requires Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to invest in training Nigerians, resulting in the emergence of indigenous software developers and ICT professionals making significant contributions locally and internationally.
The Director-General added that NOTAP plans to replicate the ICT success story across manufacturing, engineering and other strategic sectors through technology transfer, skills development and increased local participation.
She further revealed that the agency is developing a technology and innovation hub to provide practical demonstrations of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), while also partnering with Huawei, MTN and Airtel to strengthen the capacity of its staff in evaluating imported technologies.
On youth development, Amadiobi unveiled the National Outsourcing Value Acceleration (NOVA) Programme, designed to equip young Nigerians with industry-relevant skills through simulation-based training and practical exposure in sectors such as maritime, engineering and manufacturing.
She added that several state governments, including Niger State, have already expressed interest in collaborating with NOTAP to establish innovation centres within their states.
Earlier, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, described NOTAP as a strategic institution driving Nigeria’s technological advancement through technology acquisition, technology transfer, intellectual property protection and the promotion of indigenous innovation.
She said the future of Nigeria depends on strong collaboration between institutions that innovate and those that inform the public, stressing that the media has a responsibility to explain and amplify innovation for national development.
Grace Ike noted that the visit was aimed at establishing a lasting partnership with NOTAP in the areas of public enlightenment, innovation advocacy, capacity building and technology communication.
She proposed regular training programmes for journalists covering science, technology and innovation to improve reporting on intellectual property, technology transfer, research commercialisation and innovation policies.
The NUJ FCT Chairman also advocated joint public awareness campaigns on intellectual property rights, patents and technology transfer targeted at inventors, researchers, startups and technology developers, describing the proposed collaboration as a catalyst for strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
