The Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Professor Adamu Ahmed, has appealed to industry investors to partner with the institution’s innovators to translate research outputs into viable products and services.
The call was made at the university’s quarterly research fair, held from September 15 to 19, 2025, at the Kashim Ibrahim Library, Main Campus. The event brought together inventors and researchers across faculties to showcase innovative projects with commercial potential.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Raymond B. Bako, the Vice-Chancellor expressed satisfaction with the range of inventions on display, commending the Organising Committee led by Professor Ken Okoli for coordinating the fair.
Highlights included contributions from the Faculties of Engineering, Science, Agriculture, and Environmental Design, as well as research centres such as the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT), National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), and the Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB).
The Centre Leader of the Sustainable Procurement and Environmental Social Standard Centre of Excellence (SPESSCE), Professor Wisdom Japhet, urged departments to support innovators in commercialising their projects, stressing that many of the ideas “would be life-changing if fully developed.”
Similarly, the Director of Research and Innovation, Professor Joy J. Maina, encouraged participants to patent their works and pursue inter-departmental collaborations to enhance research impact.
The fair showcased innovations in fields ranging from home economics, biochemistry, and soil science to computer engineering, mechatronics, and industrial design.
The university said the initiative is designed to strengthen partnerships between academia and industry, while positioning ABU as a hub for innovation in Nigeria and beyond.
