UNIZIK VC Highlights University’s Research to Market Drive at Huawei Education Summit
The Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Bond Anyaehie, has showcased the institution’s efforts to transform research and innovation into practical solutions at the third Huawei Education Summit ’26 in Abuja.
Anyaehie spoke during a panel session titled “From Research to Market,” where he highlighted initiatives being developed by the university to address practical challenges within its community while creating opportunities for innovation and enterprise.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed that the university had developed a taxi booking application for students, leveraging UNIZIK’s population of more than 60,000 students as an immediate market for the innovation.
According to him, his administration’s approach is to first develop solutions that respond directly to the needs of the university community before scaling such innovations to the wider society.
Anyaehie also revealed that UNIZIK is developing a dedicated payment application for students as part of efforts to improve digital services and simplify transactions within the institution.
He further disclosed that the university was making plans to commence its own electricity generation, describing the initiative as part of the institution’s broader drive to develop practical solutions to its operational challenges.
The Vice Chancellor said the initiatives demonstrate UNIZIK’s commitment to moving research beyond academic publications and into products and services capable of creating tangible value.
He emphasised the importance of universities identifying real world problems, developing innovative solutions and creating pathways through which such solutions can reach the market.
The Huawei Education Summit brought together education leaders, technology experts and other stakeholders to discuss the role of technology and innovation in transforming the education sector.
UNIZIK’s participation at the summit provided an opportunity for the university to highlight its growing focus on research commercialisation, digital transformation and innovation driven development.
