Campus News

Unilorin unveils plan for Science and Tech Park

The University of Ilorin is advancing plans to establish a Science and Technology Park that aims to promote innovative ideas, attract global talents, and foster stronger collaborations among the academia, industry, and government.

This strategic initiative was announced last Tuesday (April 22, 2025) during a high-level meeting at the University Auditorium chaired by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN.                             

The meeting, which was attended by the Principal Officers, the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Deans, and Directors, deliberated on the modalities for the establishment of the Park.

In his address, the Vice Chancellor said that the most sought-after University in Nigeria needs a Science and Technology Park to encourage innovative ideas, attract talents from across the globe and foster strong partnership among the University, industries and government.

Prof. Egbewole, who disclosed that efforts are underway to provide essential infrastructure at the proposed site, including electricity supply and road construction, said that the University’s Department of Architecture is expected to contribute to the planning and design phase of the Park.

He further said that the anticipated Science and Technology Park is envisioned as a potential revenue-generating venture, especially within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ECOWAS trade provisions, which may offer significant advantages to such an initiative.

In a presentation, entitled “Establishment of a Science and Technology Park in Ilorin, Nigeria: Fostering Innovation and Economic Growth”, a distinguished scholar from the School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, Prof. Daniel Kitaw, outlined an ambitious vision to transform the University of Ilorin into a hub of technological innovation and economic development.

Prof. Kitaw, who is currently a visiting scholar at the University of Ilorin, described the proposed Science, Technology, and Innovation Park (STIP) as a transformative initiative aimed at converting academic research into commercially viable products and services.

While speaking on a proposed strategic model based on global best practices, Prof. Kitaw, who is also the President of AfricaLics Scientific Board, proposed a hybrid model tailored to Nigeria’s socio-economic context.

He said that the Park would integrate elements of South Korea’s reverse engineering and SME-focused industrial growth, Egypt’s startup incubation and talent development strategies, Japan’s sustainability-centered development frameworks, China’s supply chain integration and infrastructure, and Turkey’s model of university-industry collaboration. He added that these models will not only benefit the University of Ilorin but will also help Nigeria leverage its human and material resources for long-term, sustainable development.

According to Prof. Kitaw, “The proposed STIP will encompass Techno-Parks, Science Parks, and Incubation Parks, each serving as a foundation for fostering creativity, competitiveness, and technological advancement. These facilities will nurture startups, promote innovation-based companies through spin-offs and incubators, and offer high-quality space and services needed for cutting-edge research and development”.

He said that the target sectors of the Park include manufacturing, agriculture, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT), areas deemed critical to Nigeria’s economic diversification and industrial growth.

Prof. Kitaw expressed confidence that the establishment of the STIP, if successful, would elevate the University of Ilorin to the status of a fully entrepreneurial university, one that promotes a culture of innovation, encourages student and staff entrepreneurship, and provides an enabling environment for business incubation and commercialisation of research.

To bring the vision to life, Prof. Kitaw identified several potential funding avenues which include Government Funding, Private Sector Investments, International Grants and Partnerships, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).