Lagos Set to Pass Innovation Bill by 2026 to Strengthen Research Sector

By the middle of 2026, the Lagos State Government intends to pass an Innovation Bill that will improve cooperation between academic institutions and the commercial sector.

The proposed law seeks to promote technology-driven development, innovation, and research in Nigeria’s economic hub.

This was revealed by Tubosun Alake, Commissioner for Innovation, Science, and Technology, during the current GITEX Global Technology Exhibition in Dubai.

According to him, the proposed law aims to provide a formal framework for collaboration between companies and academic institutions in order to improve product development and commercialize research results.

Alake claims that the measure will provide private organizations the authority to finance certain research initiatives at postsecondary educational institutions, giving both sides joint ownership of the resulting intellectual property and the right to any future profits.

“We are in the formulation stage right now. Before being presented to the Lagos State Executive Council and then the House of Assembly for its first reading, the first draft will be made public, he said. “By the second or third quarter of 2026, we hope to have the bill passed.”

According to the commissioner, the project will formalize industry-academia cooperation and guarantee that research satisfies actual market needs.

Consider a situation where a business, such as MTN or Airtel, needs a new radio equipment and hires the University of Lagos to create it. The resulting innovation would be jointly owned by both parties, and it might even become the basis of a business venture, according to Alake.

He went on to say that this strategy is similar to international best practices in innovation management, where universities are essential in promoting entrepreneurship and industrial research.

Lagos, which is home to more than 20 million people and is Nigeria’s leading technological hub, has already established itself as the continent’s startup capital by playing host to a large number of accelerators, incubators, and international tech partnerships.

The state provides early-stage entrepreneurs with capital, workspaces, and mentorship through its Lagos Innovates program. It also collaborates with global IT behemoths like Google and Meta to increase digital literacy and capacity building.

“This bill will further establish Lagos as Africa’s hub for sustainable technological growth and research-based innovation,” Alake said.