From Joseph Amedu Lokoja
The Chief Executive Officer of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Khalil Halilu has urged Nigerian Universities to strive to go beyond academics by making their impacts on economic and societal development.
Khalil made the call while delivering the 4th Memorial Lecture in honour of Late Engr. Joseph Oyeyani Makoju at the Federal University Lokoja on Thursday.
Khalil in his Lecture titled “Commercialization of Research And Development Projects: Prospects And Challenges” noted that while the nation possesses the talent, ideas, and institutions, it must now build the systems that convert knowledge into economic value.
The guest lecturer also noted that commercialisation of Research and Development outputs remains the missing link in Nigeria’s development equation
According to him “Universities must evolve beyond teaching and research to embrace a third mission, delivering economic and societal impact through innovation.
“This requires stronger industry engagement, application-driven research, and a commitment to real-world outcomes.
“Institutions such as NASENI provide a clear pathway by addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, funding, technical development, and industry linkage.
“Their role highlights the importance of coordinated systems in achieving effective commercialisation.
“As we honour Engr. Joseph Oyeyani Makoju, let us commit to building a Nigeria where research leads not just to publications, but to production—where ideas translate into industries, and innovation drives prosperity”
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, disclosed that the memorial lecture in honour of Late Engr Joseph Makoju remains a critical annual ritual in the life of the institution in view of the importance attached to it.
“The Federal University, Lokoja attaches so much value to the memorial lecture hence my desire to approve its continuity under my leadership”
He described Dr Khalil Suleiman Halilu as an accomplished engineer, technology statesman and one of Nigeria’s foremost champions of indigenous science, engineering and manufacturing.
According to him “Under whose leadership, NASENI has been repositioned as a serious vehicle for Nigeria’s technology sovereignty, driving the domestication of engineering innovation, the development of local content in industrial production and the translation of scientific knowledge into functional national infrastructure.
“We invited you deliberately, not as a courtesy, but because your life’s work is the living argument for everything this lecture represents. Your presence honours this occasion immensely, as a statement that the relationship between the university and the national science and engineering establishment is not merely ceremonial but substantive, purposeful, and consequential and we are deeply grateful.
“The Engineer Joseph Oyeyani Makoju Memorial Lecture holds a cherished and permanent place in the intellectual and physical life of this University. We honour the memory of a distinguished engineer, public servant, energy pioneer, and a man whose commitment to Federal University, Lokoja was expressed not only in words but in deeds, through the generous donation of a lecture theatre to this institution.
That gift was not merely a building; it was a declaration of faith in the future of this University, in the enterprise of learning, and in the young men and women who would pass through its halls for generations to come. We are humbled by that generosity, and we are determined to be worthy of it.
“This lecture series was established in loving memory of the late Engineer Joseph Oyeyani Makoju and his son, and it is carried forward with devotion by his family. It is our way of ensuring that his name, his values, and his vision for knowledge in service of Nigeria remain alive and active in this place. To the wife of the late Engineer Makoju, and to the entire Makoju family here today, I say on behalf of the entire Federal University, Lokoja community: we are profoundly grateful.
“This University would not be what it is without the investments of people like the Makoju family and we do not take your loyalty and generosity for granted
“Late Engineer Makoju understood that Nigeria’s development challenges required practical solutions, not theoretical elegance alone. He dedicated his career to making things work; power, infrastructure, industry. He gave this University a lecture theatre because he believed in the power of spaces where minds are formed and futures are decided.
This memorial lecture, established in his honour and in the memory of his son, is sustained by a family that continues to invest in this institution’s future. The best tribute we can pay to that legacy is to ensure that the research produced within the walls that Engineer Makoju helped build actually works; that it enters the economy, solves problems, creates jobs, and advances national development”
Dr. Gladys Makoju, wife of late Engr Joseph Makoju while responding on behalf of the family, disclosed that the family will continue to encourage deserving students through award of scholarships as well as boosting creativity and talents at FUL.
