NITDA DG Urges Researchers to Convert Scientific Discoveries into National Prosperity at FUNAAB Conference
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Kashifu Abdullahi, has urged Nigerian researchers to transform scientific discoveries into practical innovations, productive enterprises and solutions that contribute to national development.
Philip22
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Kashifu Abdullahi, has urged Nigerian researchers to transform scientific discoveries into practical innovations, productive enterprises and solutions that contribute to national development.
Abdullahi gave the charge while delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 3rd International Biennial Conference of the College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), held on October 13, 2026, at the university’s Red Chamber.
The conference was themed “Innovation at the Intersection of Science, Environment, Agriculture, Climate, Health, and Artificial Intelligence.”
Represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, the NITDA Director-General commended FUNAAB for its growth and praised the conference organisers for selecting a theme that reflects the increasing convergence of science and technology in addressing contemporary societal challenges.
He highlighted the potential of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to transform agriculture, healthcare, climate action and education. He also called for deliberate investment in digital talent development, shared innovation infrastructure and stronger partnerships between universities and technology stakeholders.
Abdullahi outlined five priorities for translating research into national prosperity:
- Aligning research with national challenges and development priorities.
- Developing shared scientific and digital infrastructure.
- Linking research funding to practical outcomes.
- Nurturing entrepreneurial researchers capable of commercialising their discoveries.
- Measuring success through societal impact rather than academic outputs alone.
He further encouraged students to embrace innovation and view their academic qualifications as a foundation for solving real-world problems.
“Your certificate is just your beginning and not your destination,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Professor Babatunde Kehinde, represented by the Dean of the College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM), Professor Olusegun Oguntoke, described the conference theme as timely amid rapid technological advancement and intensifying climate challenges.
Kehinde highlighted COLPHYS's contributions to the university's core mandates of teaching, research and community engagement. He expressed optimism that the conference's workshops, training sessions and research engagements would produce meaningful outcomes for the university and society.
He also emphasised FUNAAB's international collaborations and global standing, describing the conference as an opportunity to strengthen research exchange, professional networking and interdisciplinary partnerships.
The Vice-Chancellor challenged participants to explore emerging areas of knowledge, leverage open-source resources, establish cross-disciplinary collaborations and inspire the next generation of researchers. He also commended the Local Organising Committee before formally declaring the conference open.
Earlier, the Dean of COLPHYS, Professor Victor Makinde, welcomed participants and dignitaries, expressing appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor and university management for supporting the international conference.
Makinde explained that the conference was designed to bring together academics, researchers, industry professionals, policymakers and students to exchange knowledge and showcase innovative research across several disciplines.
These included computer science and artificial intelligence, mathematics and statistics, chemistry, environmental sciences, physics, medical and life sciences, data science, education, agriculture and food security.
At the first plenary session, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Dr. Titilola Ibiyemi, examined the relationship between science, healthcare and artificial intelligence.
She explained how scientific discoveries drive medical advancement, while AI improves efficiency and accelerates research and healthcare processes.
Ibiyemi highlighted the contributions of physics to sensors and medical imaging, chemistry to drug development, and mathematics to predictive analysis. She stressed that AI should complement, rather than replace, healthcare professionals and scientists.
The second plenary session featured the Director of the NITDA IT Hub at the University of Lagos, Professor Victor Odumuyiwa, who delivered a presentation titled “Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Scientific Innovation: Transforming Research Across Science, Environment, Agriculture, Climate and Health.”
His presentation examined how AI could advance scientific research and stimulate innovation across critical sectors.
The conference reaffirmed FUNAAB's commitment to interdisciplinary research, technological innovation and knowledge-driven development, with discussions highlighting the importance of translating scientific discoveries into practical solutions for sustainable national growth.
