L-R: Vice Chancellor, FUPRE, Prof. Ezekiel O. Agbalagba,(7th) flanked by other Management Staff and Guest Speakers at the occasion on Monday
By Samuel Ogude
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s petroleum industry have called on universities and research institutions to ensure that academic research is translated into practical solutions capable of addressing societal challenges, driving innovation and accelerating economic growth.
The call was made on Monday at the second edition of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) School of Postgraduate Studies Annual Lecture Series, themed “Transforming Research Outcomes for Sustainable Development and Economic Growth.”
L-R: Vice Chancellor, FUPRE, Prof. Ezekiel O. Agbalagba,(7th) flanked by other Management Staff and Guest Speakers cutting the cake at the occasion on Monday
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of FUPRE, Prof. Ezekiel O. Agbalagba, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to becoming the petroleum industry’s first-choice research partner by providing practical solutions to critical challenges confronting the sector. According to him, the university is strategically positioned to contribute solutions to issues such as gas flaring in the Niger Delta, improving crude oil recovery from mature fields, bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and integrating renewable energy into petroleum-based economies.
Group photograph of some the participants at the occasion on Monday
“The petroleum industry cannot continue to operate in FUPRE’s backyard without FUPRE becoming a first-call partner for its most pressing technical questions. Our postgraduate students are already working on these challenges,” Agbalagba said. He explained that the lecture series was designed to bridge the gap between academic research and industry by ensuring that research findings are transformed into practical innovations that benefit society.
Delivering the keynote address on “Industry-Driven Research for Solving Contemporary Challenges,” the Chief Operating Officer of ND Western Limited, Engr. Oghenekaro Ovraiti, said research should not end in academic journals but should be commercialised and applied to solve real-life problems. “If research generated in the university is not translated into solving societal problems, it is an exercise in futility,” he stated.
Vice Chancellor, FUPRE, Prof. Ezekiel O. Agbalagba, delivering his address at the occasion on Monday
Ovraiti urged researchers to align their studies with industry needs to stimulate innovation, create jobs, encourage entrepreneurship and strengthen Nigeria’s economic competitiveness.
The United Nations Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, who delivered her presentation virtually on “Women, Research and the Economy: Translating Academic Outcomes into Gender-Inclusive Development Policy,” identified institutional gender bias, inadequate gender-disaggregated data, limited funding and weak implementation mechanisms as major barriers preventing research outcomes from advancing gender-inclusive development. She advocated stronger collaboration with organisations such as UN Women, improved gender analysis in research and deliberate efforts to ensure academic findings influence policies that promote gender equality.
Also speaking, the Director of Research and Development, Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Mrs. Tina Olubukola Isichei, stressed that research has little value if it remains on library shelves instead of being utilised by policymakers, industries and development organisations. She urged researchers to make their findings accessible and applicable to solving societal problems.
In his presentation titled “Collaboration with FUPRE on Petroleum and Energy Sector Development in Delta State,” the Delta State Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Hon. (Chief) Peter Okagbare Uviejitobor, said stronger collaboration among government, universities and industry is essential to convert research into practical solutions.
He noted that the objectives of FUPRE’s School of Postgraduate Studies align with the Delta State Government’s MORE Agenda through manpower development, research, consultancy and innovation that support economic growth and environmental sustainability. Other guest speaker at the occasion is Chief Engr Benjamin Ogunnubi who spoke in line with other speakers.
Prof. (Mrs.) Juliet Emudianughe, presents an award to the Vice Chancellor, FUPRE, Prof. Ezekiel O. Agbalagba at occasion on Monday
Earlier, the Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies and Chairperson of the Planning Committee, Prof. (Mrs.) Juliet Emudianughe, observed that universities in Nigeria do not lack research output but have struggled to translate research into innovations that industries can utilise, policymakers can adopt and the economy can benefit from. She urged researchers to ensure their publications are visible, cited, indexed and, where possible, commercialised, while protecting their intellectual property and presenting their findings in formats useful to governments, investors and industry.
Prof. (Mrs.) Juliet Emudianughe delivering her address at the occasion on Monday
Prof. Emudianughe also appealed to industry stakeholders to provide postgraduate students with structured industrial attachments, joint research supervision, industry-sponsored research projects and opportunities to work on real-life industry challenges before graduation. She expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor for sustaining the annual lecture series and thanked the resource persons and participants for contributing to the success of the programme.
The event featured an interactive panel discussion, where participants examined strategies for strengthening collaboration between academia, industry and government, while awards were presented to the guest speakers before the ceremonial cutting of the anniversary cake.