By Emma Ogoigbe,Warri
Erudite scholar and seasoned innovation consultant, Dr. Obichi Obiajunwa, has identified inadequate funding as one of the greatest challenges facing Nigerian universities.
According to him, research and innovation are required to sustain the financial needs of universities in the country, regretting that many universities operate with limited budgets that barely cover basic academic activities.
Dr. Obiajunwa, who is also a research commercialization expert, made these remarks while delivering the 4th Convocation Lecture of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) Effurun, Delta state.
He noted that many universities have strong institutional structures, including faculties dedicated to Science, Technology and Engineering, as well as research centres that focus on solving local and global challenges.
“To reposition Nigerian universities, we must begin by rethinking research and development, while the universities should produce significant volumes of academic research,” he suggested.
According to Dr. Obiajunwa, transforming Nigerian universities into innovation hubs requires a deliberate and sustained effort from all stakeholders such as government, industry, academia and the society at large.
“If we are to boast of a rich talent pool, growing research culture, inadequate funding, weak industry linkages and limited commercialization continue to hinder our progress,” he noted, adding that now is the time to reposition our universities.
