‎By Jumoke Olaitan
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, says the Federal Government is establishing 41 University Innovation Pods (UniPods) across tertiary institutions to transform research and innovation into jobs, investment and economic opportunities.

‎Alausa said this in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr Ikharo Attah, on Wednesday.

‎The minister said the initiative was part of President Bola Tinubu’s vision to use education, technology, research and innovation to transform Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.

‎He said the UniPods were designed to ensure that research conducted in Nigerian universities moved beyond academic purposes to the development of marketable products, services and solutions.

‎According to him, eight UniPods have either been commissioned or are ready for commissioning, while three are already operational at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

‎Alausa listed other specialised centres to include the Blue Economy UniPod in Akwa Ibom, AgroTech UniPod at Benue State University, Resilience Tech UniPod in Borno, GovTech UniPod at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Industrial Tech UniPod in Plateau.

‎He said the success of the initiative would not be measured by the buildings and equipment provided but by the solutions, businesses, jobs and economic value generated from them.

‎The minister cited the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University, where researchers had developed geospatial maps showing deposits of lithium, gold and bauxite, including their locations and depths.

‎He said such innovations could create major economic opportunities if investors were connected with researchers and provided with appropriate pathways to commercialise their discoveries.

‎Alausa said the Federal Ministry of Education, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Tech4Dev, was working toward establishing about 41 UniPods in the coming years.

‎He stressed the need for the centres to become financially sustainable enterprises rather than remain dependent on grants.

‎The minister said the UniPods would operate under an appropriate governance framework being developed by the ministry and UND.

He added that eligible centres would be able to establish commercial accounts in line with existing government guidelines for university research centres.

‎He explained that part of the revenue generated by the centres could be retained for their sustainability, while another portion would support targeted technological development in their host universities.

Alausa assured that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to work with UNDP, Tech4Dev, universities and other partners to make the UniPods sustainable centres of innovation, enterprise and economic opportunity.

‎He said the ministry would pursue effective governance and financing arrangements to enable the centres generate and responsibly manage resources, attract investment and support their host institutions.

‎The minister said the ultimate goal was to ensure that the Federal Government’s investments in education and technology translated into practical research, viable businesses, jobs and highly skilled young Nigerians capable of driving Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy

‎The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the UniPods should be positioned as instruments for accelerating Nigeria’s industrialisation rather than being viewed solely as academic facilities.

‎Ahmad urged universities to expose students and researchers to industrialisation and commercialisation, stressing the need to transform innovative ideas into products, services and businesses capable of contributing to national development.

‎She also said students and researchers from universities other than those hosting the UniPods should be allowed to access the facilities, subject to appropriate procedures.

‎The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms Elsie Attafuah, commended Alausa for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness and innovation.

‎Attafuah said the changing global development landscape required countries to generate their own wealth and competitiveness.

‎She described the UniPods as instruments for advancing Nigeria’s reform agenda, creating jobs and helping citizens realise their potential.

‎She said UNDP was ready to facilitate South-South cooperation, including possible engagement with India, while strengthening the network among the UniPods and supporting their governance, financing and sustainability.‎(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi

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The federal government has announced plans to procure 25 additional linear accelerators between 2027 and 2029 to expand cancer treatment capacity across Nigeria.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a meeting of the National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) Technical Working Group and Global Advisory Council.

Linear accelerators are machines used in radiotherapy to deliver high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Mr Salako said President Bola Tinubu had approved the procurement as part of a three-year plan to strengthen cancer care.

“Recently, President Bola Tinubu approved that between 2027 and 2029, the country should procure an additional 25 linear accelerators. We are executing a three-year plan to achieve this,” he said.

The minister said Nigeria’s cancer burden remained significant, with many patients presenting late for treatment while shortages of infrastructure, skilled personnel and funding continued to hamper access to care.

He said the government was implementing the National Cancer Control Plan 2026–2030, which focuses on prevention, early detection, treatment, research and partnerships.

Cancer centres, prevention

Mr Salako said construction of six Cancer Centres of Excellence had commenced, with three already completed and work progressing on the remaining facilities.

He said prevention was also central to the government’s cancer-control strategy.

The minister cited the introduction of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into Nigeria’s routine immunisation programme as one of the measures aimed at reducing preventable cancers.

“The President particularly continues to emphasise prioritising prevention. That is why one of the very first things he did was to approve that routinely, HPV vaccination should be part of our immunisation schedule,” he said.

He added that efforts were underway to strengthen hepatitis vaccination, expand cervical cancer screening and integrate screening services into primary healthcare facilities.

Mr Salako also inaugurated the Blood Cancer Consortium following the donation of equipment and other resources aimed at strengthening pathology laboratories across the country.

Coordinating cancer response

The President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Abidemi Omonisi, commended the government for promoting a coordinated approach to cancer prevention and treatment.

Mr Omonisi identified fragmented interventions among stakeholders as a major challenge, noting that poor coordination had often resulted in duplication of efforts and limited impact.

He said the NCCP Technical Working Group was addressing the challenge by bringing together government agencies, researchers, clinicians, development partners and cancer organisations under a unified agenda.

According to him, stronger international partnerships and diaspora engagement could enhance research, technology transfer, capacity building and access to advanced cancer-care services.

Earlier, the Chair of the NCCP Technical Working Group, Folakemi Odedina, said the group had moved rapidly from planning to implementation.

She said the initiative had united government institutions, academics, patients, advocates, survivors, industry players and international partners around a common cancer-control agenda.

Ms Odedina said progress was being recorded in prevention, early detection, treatment, survivorship, palliative care, research, clinical trials, workforce development and digital health initiatives.

She added that the Global Advisory Council was providing expertise in cancer prevention, treatment, genomics, implementation science, workforce development, data management and artificial intelligence.

According to her, efforts were also underway to strengthen Nigeria’s oncology clinical trials ecosystem and improve patient access to innovative treatment options.

“We intend to produce trained people, stronger institutions in Nigeria, better research, expanded clinical trials, improved technologies, greater access to care, and ultimately better outcomes for Nigerian cancer patients,” she said.

She emphasised that access to treatment alone would not guarantee improved outcomes if patients lacked resources for transportation, nutrition and accommodation during care.

Liver cancer

Lewis Roberts of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Centre called for increased attention to liver, pancreatic and biliary tract cancers in Africa.

“Liver cancer is one of the major causes of cancer deaths in Africa. Across the continent, it’s the number three cause of death from cancer,” he said.

Mr Roberts advocated stronger screening programmes, improved detection and treatment of viral hepatitis, and wider vaccination coverage to reduce the risk of liver cancer.

The meeting reviewed progress under the National Cancer Control Plan and strategies for improving cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, research and survivorship care in Nigeria.

(NAN)