Dr Segun Aina, Chairman, Opolo Global Innovation Ltd., says the company will continue to leverage global partnerships to facilitate commercialisation of innovations, empower innovators and entrepreneurs within and outside universities across Africa.
Aina said this at the end of the organisation’s two-day strategy retreat on Sunday in Lagos.
He said the company had continued to maintain its leadership position in building partnerships to improve product development process and commercialise innovation and problem-solving research in tertiary institutions in the country.
According to him, this will be realised through partnership arrangement with the University of Edinburgh.
He also said there were ongoing discussions with Oxford University; University of Toronto, Canada; Toronto Metropolitan University, and Tshimologong – the Incubation of University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.
“The retreat closely follows Opolo Global`s establishment of incubation hubs at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and Osun State University.
“Plans are afoot to create additional innovation hubs at University of Ibadan, Ahmadu bello University (ABU), and Bayero University Kano (BUK).
“We look forward to working with funders globally in this space,” he said.
A research and development innovation expert at the strategy session, Dr Ayo Popoola, noted that “the game changing innovation hubs will promote both research excellence and developmental impacts of research and development outcomes.
He said that would thereby support the country’s global innovation competitiveness drive and development of its national knowledge economy ecosystem.
According to him, Opolo is well positioned to bring global opportunities to the doorsteps of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions for sustainable youth and talent development.
“Creation of decent and future jobs, enterprise and entrepreneurship development that will catalyse overall socio-economicl development of Nigeria while guaranteeing the economic prosperity of its citizens,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Opolo Global Innovation Ltd., is an innovation enabler, incubator and accelerator with a focus on nurturing talents to become global innovators and solution developers.
It provides the springboard for innovators and funders who need opportunities to succeed leveraging global partnerships with communities.
Opolo is a Yoruba word for “the brain”, Kwakwalwa in Hausa, and Uburu in Igbo language. It is the seat of human intelligence, with capacity for flexible innovative imagination and solving problems.
(NAN)
