Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has challenged the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), and other Nigerian universities to play a more strategic role in driving innovation, entrepreneurship, technological advancement, and economic development.
The governor made the call while delivering the 38th Convocation Lecture of FUTO, where he stressed that higher institutions must move beyond their traditional functions of teaching and research to become catalysts for solving societal problems and creating sustainable economic opportunities.
According to Uzodimma, the future prosperity of Nigeria will depend largely on the country’s ability to harness knowledge, technology, and innovation to address critical challenges in areas such as unemployment, industrialization, agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and digital transformation.
He noted that universities occupy a unique position in national development because they produce the skilled manpower and research outputs needed to power economic growth and competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.
The governor emphasized that institutions of higher learning should focus on generating practical solutions through research and innovation rather than limiting their activities to academic pursuits. He argued that research findings should be translated into commercially viable products, services, and technologies capable of improving lives and stimulating economic growth.
Uzodimma called for stronger partnerships between universities, industry players, and government agencies, noting that closer collaboration would help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application.
He observed that many groundbreaking ideas generated in Nigerian universities often fail to reach the marketplace because of weak linkages between researchers and industry. To address this challenge, he advocated the development of robust innovation ecosystems that support technology transfer, start-up incubation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization of research outputs.
The governor further urged graduating students to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship as pathways to personal and national development. He encouraged them to develop problem-solving skills and adopt an entrepreneurial mindset that would enable them to create jobs rather than depend solely on traditional employment opportunities.
Highlighting the impact of emerging technologies on global development, Uzodimma said universities must continuously update their curricula to equip students with relevant skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital technologies, data science, robotics, and other fields associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He stressed the importance of sustained investment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, describing it as critical to Nigeria’s quest for industrial growth and technological self-reliance.
The governor also commended FUTO for its longstanding contributions to technological education and human capital development, describing the institution as one of Nigeria’s foremost centres of excellence in science and technology.
He noted that the university has produced graduates who have distinguished themselves in various sectors of the economy and contributed significantly to national development.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to education and youth empowerment, Uzodimma said the Imo State Government would continue to promote policies and initiatives that encourage innovation, digital skills development, enterprise creation, and economic inclusion.
Addressing the graduating students, he congratulated them on their academic achievements and urged them to uphold the values of excellence, integrity, hard work, and service to humanity.
He reminded them that graduation marked the beginning of a new phase of responsibility and opportunity, urging them to deploy the knowledge and skills acquired at the university for the advancement of society.
The lecture was one of the major highlights of FUTO’s 38th Convocation ceremonies and attracted academics, policymakers, industry leaders, alumni, students, and other stakeholders from across the country.
Participants at the event emphasized the need for stronger collaboration among universities, government, and the private sector to unlock Nigeria’s innovation potential and accelerate the country’s transition to a technology-driven economy.
