Food scientists seek funds to commercialise research findings
Nigerian food scientists are calling for increased funding, tax incentives, and stronger partnerships to turn research findings into marketable products. Read More:…
Nigeria's food science and technology research sector has long produced innovations — from improved food processing techniques to value-added products from local crops — that rarely make it beyond laboratories and academic journals into the marketplace. Experts have repeatedly pointed to this "commercialisation gap" as a missed opportunity for a country seeking to diversify its economy away from oil, boost agro-industrial output, and create jobs, especially as food import bills remain a persistent drain on foreign exchange.
The renewed call for tax incentives, alternative financing and stronger industry partnerships reflects a broader, long-running conversation about Nigeria's weak research-to-market pipeline, often blamed on limited government funding for research institutes, poor linkages between academia and the private sector, and the absence of structured incentives for manufacturers to adopt locally developed innovations. Both outlets agree on the core demands made by the food scientists, though neither report specifies which agencies or policymakers are expected to act on the proposals, nor a timeline for implementation.