First Lady: ECoN will drive innovation-led growth
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has said the Energise Commercialisation Now (ECoN) is a critical step in the Federal Government’s plan to turn research and innovation into engines of economic growth.
- Senator Tinubu launches initiative in Kano
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has said the Energise Commercialisation Now (ECoN) is a critical step in the Federal Government’s plan to turn research and innovation into engines of economic growth.
Mrs. Tinubu spoke yesterday in Kano while launching the initiative, with the theme: “From Innovation to Industry: Energising Commercialisation.”
It seeks to bridge the gap between ideas developed in universities and research hubs and their real-world application in industry.
The First Lady said Nigeria is rich in creativity but too many innovations stall before reaching the market due to systemic barriers.
ECoN, she explained, would create an enabling environment to nurture talent, support innovators, and convert ideas into viable enterprises.
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“This programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda on industrialisation, digitisation, and economic diversification,” she said.
“It will promote job creation, boost productivity, and advance our goal of building a $1 trillion economy.”
Mrs. Tinubu stressed the need for inclusivity, urging greater participation among women and the youth in the innovation ecosystem to strengthen families, enhance national security, and drive sustainable development.
The initiative will begin in the Northwest and expand to other geopolitical zones, the First Lady said.
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf described the launch as “historic,” saying the state’s selection reflected the Federal Government’s confidence in its capacity to lead innovation-driven development in northern Nigeria.
“ECoN will help bridge the long-standing disconnect between research outputs and market application,” Yusuf said.
The governor acknowledged the state’s alignment with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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He cited ongoing state investments in digital infrastructure and technical education as proof that Kano is positioning itself as a hub for innovation-led industrialisation.
Yusuf hailed the First Lady for her past support for Kano, including donations to education, empowerment schemes for women, farmers, and persons with disabilities, and aid to vulnerable groups.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Kingsley Tochukwu, described ECoN as a “national commercialisation architecture” designed to move innovation “from concept to capital and from prototype to prosperity”.
The minister said the programme would feature technical sessions, investor-ready presentations, and “deal rooms” where innovators meet financiers.
He hinted that a digital platform is also being developed to connect researchers with industry and provide technical and legal support.
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Tochukwu stressed that ECoN has already attracted over 1,000 innovation entries and secured initial investment commitments.
The initiative, he added, would be rolled out nationwide to build a networked innovation ecosystem capable of driving economic transformation and global competitiveness.
The event was attended by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin; Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi; representatives of the governors of Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, and Zamfara states; governors’ wives of the seven Northeastern states; members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; ministers; and traditional rulers.
Dignitaries at the event who spoke with The Nation said the launch underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to positioning science, technology, and innovation as core drivers of Nigeria’s economic development.
