The Kano State Government has announced plans to host the national launch and North-West zonal deployment of the Federal Government’s “Energise Commercialisation Now (ECoN)” initiative, a programme aimed at driving innovation, industrialisation, and economic growth across the country.
The announcement was made during a press conference held by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs Hon. Comr. Ibrahim A. Waiya, with officials describing the development as a major step toward positioning Kano and the wider North-West region at the centre of Nigeria’s innovation-driven transformation.
The ECoN programme, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, is designed to mobilise innovation, attract investment, and accelerate industrial production across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Kano was selected to host both the national launch and the North-West deployment of the initiative, with the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, expected to attend as Special Guest of Honour and officially launch the programme.
The three-day event is scheduled to hold from April 23 to 25, 2026, and will feature a series of activities focused on policy engagement, innovation showcase, and investment facilitation.
According to Waiya, the opening day will centre on political leadership and national mobilisation, including a welcome address by the Kano State Governor, keynote remarks by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the official launch by the First Lady. The day will also feature panel discussions on collaboration between federal and state governments, alongside a mini exhibition of selected innovations.
The second day will focus on innovation discovery and evaluation, with activities such as pitch sessions for innovators, technical assessment clinics, and roundtable discussions between academia and industry players. These sessions are expected to help develop a pipeline of investment-ready innovations.
On the final day, attention will shift to investment and commercialisation, with structured deal rooms where innovators will engage directly with investors. The programme will also include discussions on financing frameworks and the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to support the commercialisation of selected innovations.
The event is expected to attract a wide range of participants, including federal and state government officials, governors and First Ladies from the North-West, research institutions, universities, innovators, startups, private sector investors, development finance institutions, international partners, and traditional leaders.
Waiya noted that the initiative is particularly significant for the North-West region, which has strong potential in agriculture, textiles, solid minerals, and entrepreneurship but faces challenges in translating research outputs into commercially viable products.
The ECoN programme is expected to bridge this gap by identifying viable innovations, connecting innovators with investors and manufacturers, providing intellectual property and certification support, and facilitating access to funding. It will also prepare local innovators for participation in international trade platforms, including the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027.
For Kano State, the initiative aligns with the administration’s priorities on job creation, wealth generation, and the promotion of local content and export-led industrialisation.
To ensure a successful event, the state government has set up a Local Organising Committee chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruq Ibrahim. The committee has secured venues, identified priority innovations from local institutions, and mobilised stakeholders across academia, industry, and development sectors.
All seven states in the North-West Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Zamfara are expected to participate, presenting innovations and engaging in the programme’s activities.
At the end of the event, there would anticipate the creation of a National Innovation Asset Register for the North-West, the development of investment-ready technologies, the signing of commercial agreements, and stronger collaboration between industry and academia.
The Kano State Government expressed optimism that the initiative will contribute to Nigeria’s transition from an import-dependent economy to a production-driven and export-oriented industrial hub.
