First Lady to launch Fed Govt’s innovation commercialisation drive in Kano
Kano State will host the national launch and Northwest zonal deployment of the Federal Government’s new innovation and industrialisation programme, “Energise Commercialisation Now” (ECoN), from April 23 to 25. The
Kano State will host the national launch and Northwest zonal deployment of the Federal Government’s new innovation and industrialisation programme, “Energise Commercialisation Now” (ECoN), from April 23 to 25.
The three-day event, organised by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST), is designed to move research outputs from universities and polytechnics into commercial production.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who will be the special guest of honour, will officially launch the programme.
Addressing reporters on behalf of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, announced that the programme will place Kano and the Northwest at the forefront of Nigeria’s innovation-driven economic transformation.
“ECoN is designed to mobilise innovation, attract investment, and accelerate industrial production across the six geo-political zones,” he said.
READ ALSO: Atiku’s 2027 ambition dead on arrival, says Presidency
The lineup of programmes for the event shows that Day One on April 23 will focus on political leadership and national mobilisation. It will feature a welcome address by Governor Yusuf, keynote remarks by the FMIST Minister, the official launch by the First Lady, high-level panel discussions on federal-state synergy, and a mini exhibition of selected innovations.
Day Two on April 24 is for innovation, discovery, exhibition, and evaluation. Activities for the day include an innovators’ pitch zone, technical evaluation clinics, academia-industry roundtables, and consolidation of an investment-ready innovation pipeline.
Day Three on April 25 will cover investment and commercialisation. Structured deal rooms will connect innovators with investors, alongside sessions on financing frameworks and the signing of Memoranda of Understanding and commercialisation compacts.
The event is meant to bring together federal and state governments, Northwest governors and their wives, research institutions, universities, polytechnics, innovators, startups, manufacturers, investors, development finance institutions, international partners, and traditional rulers.
Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Zamfara will present innovations for evaluation.
Waiya said the Northwest is rich in agricultural resources, textile potential, solid minerals, and entrepreneurial culture, but many research outputs remained uncommercialised.
“ECoN provides a structured pipeline to identify commercially viable innovations, connect innovators with investors and manufacturers, provide IP advisory and standards certification, facilitate access to commercialisation finance, and prepare local innovators for international trade platforms, including IATF 2027,” he said.
Kano State has set up a Local Organising Committee (LOC), chaired by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim.
“Kano State is ready to lead Nigeria’s transition from an import-dependent economy to a production-driven, export-oriented industrial powerhouse,” Waiya said.
