The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has urged Nigerian academics and researchers to prioritise practical innovations and commercialisation of research findings rather than concentrating solely on publishing scholarly papers.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Dr Sonny Echono, made the call on Friday through the Assistant Director of Research and Development, Dr Hadiza Ismail, at the closing ceremony of the 35th cohort of the Research for Impact Initiative in Abuja.

Echono said the initiative, implemented in partnership with Innov8 Technology Hub, was designed to strengthen research and development in public tertiary institutions and promote collaboration among academia, industry and government.

He stressed the need for Nigerian researchers to develop home-grown technologies capable of addressing societal challenges, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.

According to him, the Research for Impact Initiative aims to reposition public tertiary institutions as key drivers of a knowledge-based economy through innovation and solution-oriented research.

The executive secretary commended Innov8 Technology Hub for providing technical expertise and mentorship to participating researchers, urging them to apply the knowledge acquired during the training to develop solutions for their institutions and communities.

He disclosed that innovations produced by previous participants were showcased at the maiden TETFund National Research Fair and Exhibition in November 2024.

He added that the second edition of the fair would hold from November 23 to 27, 2026, at the Abuja Trade and Convention Centre, Airport Road, providing researchers with opportunities to showcase their innovations, connect with industry players and explore commercialisation partnerships.Similarly, an engineer, Austine Omoraka, of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, Delta State, said the training had strengthened his commitment to applying engineering research to practical challenges.Omoraka said the combination of research, prototyping, market validation and business planning provided a structured approach to transforming ideas into marketable products.He expressed optimism that applying the knowledge gained would promote affordable local technologies, entrepreneurship, employment and sustainable economic growth.At the closing ceremony, participants in Cohort 35 were divided into six teams to develop and present their innovations.