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Lagos State Government has announced plans to enact an Innovation Bill by mid-2026, designed to strengthen collaboration between universities and the private sector.
The proposed legislation aims to advance research, innovation, and technology-driven development in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Tubosun Alake, disclosed this at the ongoing GITEX Global Technology Exhibition in Dubai.
He said the proposed legislation seeks to establish a formal framework for partnership between academic institutions and businesses to enhance product development and commercialise research outputs.
According to Alake, the bill will empower private companies to fund specific research projects within tertiary institutions, granting both parties shared ownership of the resulting intellectual property and rights to potential commercial benefits.
“We are currently in the formulation phase. The first draft will be subjected to public scrutiny before presentation to the Lagos State Executive Council and subsequently the House of Assembly for its first reading,” he explained. “Our target is to have the bill passed by the second or third quarter of 2026.”
The commissioner said the initiative would institutionalise collaboration between academia and industry, ensuring that research aligns with real market demands.
“Imagine a scenario where a company like MTN or Airtel requires a new radio device and commissions the University of Lagos to design it. Both parties would co-own the resulting innovation and could even build a commercial enterprise around it,” Alake said.
He added that this approach mirrors global best practices in innovation management, where universities play a pivotal role in driving industrial research and entrepreneurship.
As Nigeria’s foremost technology hub, Lagos, home to over 20 million residents, has already distinguished itself as the continent’s startup capital, hosting numerous accelerators, incubators, and global tech collaborations.
Through its Lagos Innovates initiative, the state supports early-stage founders with funding, mentorship, and workspaces, while partnering with international technology giants such as Google and Meta to boost digital literacy and capacity building.
“This bill will further position Lagos as the epicentre of research-based innovation and sustainable technological growth in Africa,” Alake affirmed.
