Igbinedion University Holds 8th Governing Council Retreat, Charts Course for Research Commercialisation as Founder Turns 92

Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO), Nigeria’s first private university, has held its 8th Governing Council Retreat at Kada Plaza, Benin City, with a focus on accelerating research translation, commercialisation and institutional sustainability.

The retreat was held under the theme, “Council as Catalyst: Accelerating Research Translation, Commercialisation and Development for Sustainable Development,” and also coincided with the 92nd birthday of the University’s Founder and Chancellor, Sir Chief (Dr.) Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, Esama of Benin Kingdom, on September 11, 2026.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, PhD, FAS, paid tribute to the Founder’s journey from humble beginnings to establishing Nigeria’s first private university in 1999.

He noted that Igbinedion University now runs more than 96 accredited programmes across seven colleges and three schools.

Discussions at the retreat centred on four key areas: strategic leadership, resource mobilisation, intellectual property governance using the Triple Helix model, and data governance.

Samson Oyewale Ariyibi of Greenwich Holdings stressed that tuition alone could not sustain the University.

He proposed a “mobilise, generate, multiply” model involving philanthropy, alumni support, commercial activities and an endowment, and called for the establishment of a dedicated Resource Mobilisation and Investment Office.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, Dr. John O. Asein, urged the University to strengthen its intellectual property policies and properly resource its Technology Transfer Office.

He also advocated the pilot commercialisation of selected research projects to transform inventions into valuable assets through collaboration among universities, industry and government.

Dr. Ivan Anya highlighted the need for compliance with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act 2023.

With sensitive data relating to more than 5,000 students and hospital patients, he recommended the appointment of a Data Protection Officer, regular audits, hybrid storage and the establishment of a dedicated Data Governance Committee.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Ezemonye urged the Governing Council to translate the deliberations into concrete strategies that would position the University as a hub for research commercialisation, innovation and job creation, rather than leaving it dependent on traditional models.