The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), in partnership with Innov8 Hub, has announced the onboarding of 11 new teams into the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research (TETFAIR) programme.
The announcement marks the commencement of Cohorts 5, 6, and 7 of the initiative, aimed at advancing research-based innovation in Nigeria.
According to a statement by the organisers, the selected teams are drawn from public tertiary institutions across the country, including four universities, four polytechnics, and three colleges of education. The diversity of institutions reflects a broad cross-section of Nigeria’s academic landscape and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration.
TETFAIR is structured as a year-long initiative focused on transforming research ideas from academia into practical, market-oriented solutions. Participants will go through a series of bootcamps, mentorship sessions, and prototype development stages hosted at Innov8 Hub’s facilities in Abuja.
“TETFAIR provides a platform to turn academic research into real-world innovations,” the organisers stated. “This collaboration fosters not only the development of prototypes but also enhances skills in venture creation, product development, and commercialisation.”
The projects from the newly inducted teams will focus on sectors including agriculture and food technology, environment and energy, health and accessibility, information and communication technology, security, transportation, and production process improvement. These areas are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and are intended to contribute to sustainable development across Nigeria.
According to TETFund and Innov8 Hub, previous cohorts of the program have led to the creation of over 250 prototypes, including solar-powered cold chain systems, internet-enabled agricultural tools, and affordable bioenergy solutions.
“TETFAIR is part of a broader effort by TETFund to strengthen the link between research and industry,” the statement noted. “It encourages a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within tertiary institutions, helping to drive Nigeria’s socio-economic development.”
