Israel, TETFund Back Nigerian Innovators With Fresh Investment, Mentorship

 

Israel and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) have reaffirmed their commitment to nurturing Nigerian innovators through a fresh investment, mentorship and technology transfer, announcing funding for the fifth edition of the Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (iFAIR 5) while intensifying efforts to commercialise research from Nigerian universities.

The commitment was made on Friday at the iFAIR Cohort 4 Closing Ceremony and Innovation Showcase Challenge in Abuja, where participants unveiled prototypes developed in agriculture, healthcare, clean energy and community innovation.

Outgoing Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, announced that funding had been secured for iFAIR 5, which is scheduled to commence in October 2026.

“I am so proud to stand here today and announce that we have secured with our partners funding for iFAIR 5, and iFAIR 5 will be launching in October 2026,” Freeman said.

Describing the event as his final major engagement before leaving Nigeria after four and a half years as ambassador, he said the programme exemplifies the growing innovation partnership between Nigeria and Israel.

He stressed that the initiative was designed to help Nigerian innovators develop local solutions rather than import foreign technologies.

“This programme has never been about bringing Israeli solutions to Nigeria. It’s been about helping brilliant Nigerian innovators develop Nigerian solutions to Nigerian challenges supported by Israeli experience, mentorship and innovation,” he said.

According to him, iFAIR has brought together academia, government, investors, engineers and entrepreneurs to transform ideas into businesses, businesses into jobs and jobs into economic growth.

Freeman said Nigeria and Israel had strengthened cooperation in water management, healthcare, education and technology during his tenure, thanking TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, and Innov8 Hub for sustaining the initiative.

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He urged the graduating innovators to remain resilient and continue building solutions capable of transforming Nigeria and the African continent.

“Nigeria needs innovators like you. Africa needs innovators like you. The world needs innovators like you,” he added.

Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, said the programme aligns with Nigeria’s national development priorities by supporting innovation in food security, agriculture, healthcare, clean energy and the circular economy.

He said TETFund’s major objective is to bridge the gap between research institutions and industry through the commercialisation of research outputs.

“The main problem we are solving is how to commercialise university research results and inventions, bridging the gap between academia, government and the productive industrial sector,” Echono said.

He disclosed that TETFund is establishing innovation centres in more than 60 tertiary institutions across the country to help students develop solutions to national and global challenges.

“As I speak, TETFund is providing facilities and establishing innovation centres across over 60 tertiary institutions so that students, while still in school, can find solutions to global and national challenges,” he said.

Echono commended the outgoing Israeli ambassador for strengthening bilateral cooperation and urged young innovators to maximise the opportunities provided by the programme to transform their ideas into sustainable businesses.

The Executive Representative of Innov8 Hub said Nigeria has no shortage of talent but requires stronger systems that convert ideas into products and thriving enterprises.

The representative said the organisation has supported more than 3,000 researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs while helping produce over 10,000 face shields locally during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nigeria does not suffer from a shortage of talent. What we need are stronger pathways that help those ideas become products, businesses and opportunities,” the representative said.

Addressing the graduating cohort, the representative encouraged them to stay close to their customers and remain focused on building solutions that address real societal needs.

Founder of Future Africa, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, said Nigeria must embrace Artificial Intelligence and technology transfer to improve productivity and avoid economic stagnation.

He praised Israel’s approach to partnership, saying it equips Nigerians with the knowledge to build indigenous technologies instead of merely supplying finished products.

Earlier, Head of Programmes, Tolulope Aina, said participants in iFAIR Cohort 4 successfully developed prototypes addressing challenges in agriculture, healthcare, energy and community development through intensive collaboration with Nigerian and Israeli engineers.

She commended the technical mentors from Israel for working alongside the innovators throughout the programme.

“The finished prototypes you see today are only the start. You must carry these products across the finish line into the commercial market,” Aina said.

Also speaking, Head of Impact, Olawale Balogun, and the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers Without Borders Israel, Michal Hashimshony, commended the innovators for demonstrating the transformative potential of engineering and technology.

Hashimshony described the innovations showcased at Innov8 Hub as evidence that engineering should remain human-centred and capable of solving real-life challenges.

“Technology must always be human-centred. Engineering has the power to change lives and create real impact,” she said.

She also praised the strong participation of women in engineering and innovation, describing it as one of the most impressive aspects of the programme.

The iFAIR initiative is a partnership between the Embassy of Israel, TETFund and Innov8 Hub aimed at supporting Nigerian innovators with mentorship, engineering expertise, funding opportunities and commercialisation pathways to transform research ideas into market-ready products.

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