For decades, one of the major challenges confronting Africa’s development has been the gap between knowledge and practical application. Across the continent, universities and research institutions continue to produce graduates, conduct studies and generate ideas, yet many promising innovations struggle to move from laboratories and classrooms into factories, businesses and communities. The result is a familiar paradox; a continent rich in human talent and natural resources but heavily dependent on imported technologies, equipment and technical expertise. It is against this backdrop that a new technology cooperation initiative between Nigeria’s National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the government of The Gambia is beginning to take shape. The proposed partnership is not simply about exchanging ideas or signing another institutional agreement. At its heart is an attempt to address one of Africa’s most persistent development problems; how to turn research, technical education and innovation into practical technologies, employable skills and commercially viable products. The initiative emerged following a high-level experiential learning visit by The Gambia’s Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Prof. Pierre Gomez, and his delegation to NASENI headquarters in Abuja on August 12, 2026. The visit provided The Gambian delegation an opportunity to see first-hand how Nigeria’s technology development ecosystem is being structured around research, prototyping, manufacturing, training, technology transfer and commercialisation. It also opened discussions on the development of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NASENI and The Gambian government covering technology development, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), research, innovation, skills development and commercialisation. For The Gambia delegation, the interest appears to be driven by a practical need: building an education and skills system that produces young people capable not only of obtaining certificates but also of creating, operating and maintaining technologies. Prof. Gomez said the delegation was interested in learning from Nigeria’s practical approach to research, development, manufacturing and technology transfer and adapting relevant models to the Gambian environment. “We are looking for several ways of generating energy in Gambia. Our goal is to partner and learn from you to help The Gambian youths,” he said during a visit to NASENI Solar Energy Limited (NSEL). That statement captures the broader thinking behind the proposed partnership. Rather than treating education and technology as separate sectors, both sides are looking at how the two can be connected to create practical opportunities for young people. One of the most striking moments of the Gambian delegation’s visit came during its tour of NSEL, where officials witnessed actual solar module production; examined technology developed through research and development and were introduced to practical training equipment. The visit brought into sharp focus the difference between possessing theoretical knowledge and having the technical competence to apply that knowledge. The Head of the Gambian delegation made the point bluntly. “It’s time to move from the African thing of acquiring certificates without practical knowledge, we are ready for technology transfer,” he said. For a continent battling youth unemployment and skills shortages, the distinction is significant. The expansion of TVET has increasingly become a priority across Africa because of its potential to equip young people with practical skills relevant to industry. But the success of such programmes depends largely on whether students have access to laboratories, workshops, equipment and instructors with practical industry experience. This is where NASENI’s model could offer useful lessons. The Agency operates through a network of specialised Development Institutes covering areas ranging from scientific equipment and machine tools to agricultural engineering, solid minerals, electronics and renewable energy. Its approach is designed to bring research and development closer to production, while creating pathways for technical training, technology transfer and eventual commercialisation. Representing NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, the Director, Technology Business Development and Special Adviser on General Matters, Engr. Ozigi O. Bernard, told the delegation that the Agency was positioned to serve as a technology development, transfer and commercialisation platform for Nigeria and other African countries. He explained that NASENI’s strategic direction was anchored on the “3Cs” principles which are Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation. Commercialisation seeks to close gap by ensuring that research outputs can become products and services capable of addressing
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