The Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, the Senator representing Lagos East, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, and the President of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Otunba Francis Meshioye, have unanimously declared that robust university-led research is critical to preventing human extinction and rebuilding Nigeria.

They made the declaration at the inauguration of the maiden edition of LASUSTECH Research Innovation and Development Fair 2025 on Ikorodu campus.

In his opening remark, Odusanya stated that for a nation to be great, it must build great universities, which serve as engines of development through both visible economic activity and the “invisible” work of research, defining research as the fundamental interrogation of problems to proffer solutions, calling it an urgent necessity for national progress.

Odusanya, who revealed that he led the clinical trials for the conjugate pneumococcal vaccine now used in Nigeria’s national immunization programme, cited it as a prime example of how university professors must solve national problems.

He urged a shift from basic to translational research, pointing to global advances in genetic engineering, quantum computing, and telecommunications as benchmarks, emphasizing that research cannot be done in isolation, highlighting the need for strong teams, industry collaboration, and grant-winning skills.

The ongoing fair, he noted, is designed to foster these partnerships, allow peer review, and showcase prototypes ready for commercialization. A direct appeal was made to industry leaders to partner with the university, ensuring research translates into tangible societal benefits.

Also speaking, Abiru said Nigeria must invest in research or fall behind in tech race, warning that the country risks being left behind in the fast-paced global economy if it fails to urgently reinvest in its university research and innovation systems.

He praised the university for initiating the fair, stating that such efforts are critical to “reimagine, re-engineer and reinvigorate” the country’s research enterprise.

On his part, Meshioye noted that universities are increasingly judged not merely by enrollment capacity but by the quality, feasibility and impact of their research at a global level, saying Nigeria invests less than 0.3% of its GDP in research and development which is lower than the global average of 1.95%