Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Niger State, has said that it will continue to support its members that embark on research to enable them come up with cutting-edge research findings that would have a direct impact on the community.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Faruk Adamu Kuta gave the assurance while declaring open a Technology Transfer And Commercialisation Workshop put together by the Africa Centre Of Excellence For Mycotoxin And Food Safety in collaboration with Intellectual Property And Technology Transfer Office held at the Minna main campus, Gidan kwanọ.
Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, Engr. Professor Abdullahi Mohammed, the Vice Chancellor explained that to achieve this FUT Minna had instituted interaction with top-notch researchers of the institution annually where they present awards to top-notch researchers towards motivating them to be aware of their contributions to the growth and development of research not gone unnoticed.
According to him as long as they want their research to have community impact the output of their research should not end at conference attendance or publication in journals but such research should be registered and commercialized so that the University could claim ownership and royalty as well.
Prof . Adamu Kuta however emphasized that the University has become second amongst Universities in Nigeria on TETFUND research grants, adding that they were warming up to be the highest grants winning Institution in Nigeria against the backdrops of the serious-minded researchers that were abound in FUT, Minna Niger State.
In his separate remarks, the Coordinator of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer office FUT Minna Prof, Jimoh Oladejo Tijani explained that the workshop was in line with the World Intellectual Property and Technology Transfers office in Nigeria to showcase tentable products that were produced by staff, students and researchers of the Institution that have direct impact on community.
Prof Jimoh further explained that the number of patented products produced last year was about seven (7), that it has increased to thirteen(13) this year due to an increase in awareness while four more were still under review with Patent Registry Abuja for necessary action.
Deputy Centre Leader Africa Centre Of Excellence For Mycotoxin And Food Safety Prof Hadiza Lami Mohammed stated that the Centre has taken a lot of products to the market such as the Teaching Aid, stressing that other products that have been patented would also be taken to the market very soon in keeping to their research mandate.
Project Officer Bank Of Industries, (BOI) Niger state office, Mohammed Dikko Mohammed disclosed that the Bank was always ready to partner with individuals or groups of persons who were willing to support the bank’s mandate of industrialisation to forge ahead.
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