By Patricks Oghuma
The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST), under the leadership of Honourable Minister Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, has convened a two-day high-level Strategic Stakeholders’ Retreat in Abuja to strengthen institutional performance and accelerate delivery under the Renewed Hope Agenda.The meeting was held at Lake Greenfield Hotel, with the theme, “Harnessing Innovation, Science and Technology for Green Growth, Economic Transformation and Effective Delivery under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The event brought together Directors of the Ministry, alongside Directors-General and Chief Executive Officers of its key agencies. Among the Directors-General in attendance was the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso.
The engagement provided a robust platform to critically assess institutional performance, identify operational gaps, and enhance alignment with Presidential priorities and Ministerial initiatives. It also reinforced inter-agency synergy, with a renewed commitment to translating policy frameworks into measurable outcomes that directly benefit Nigerians.
In his keynote address, the Honourable Minister stressed that while sound policies and strategies are fundamental, sustainable impact depends on disciplined execution, coordinated implementation, and a strong culture of accountability. He underscored the need for measurable results and institutional cohesion in driving national development objectives.
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Dr. Udeh outlined eight ministerial priority areas designed to reposition the Ministry and its agencies for greater impact:
- Research Commercialization & Innovation-to-Market Framework
- National Start-up Single Window (NSSW)
- National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) – STI Delivery Program
- Innovation for Civil Service Challenge & Adoption Scheme
- FMIST Frontier Technology Regulatory Sandboxes
- National STEM Talent Drive – One Million Digital Skills Fellows
- Made-in-Nigeria Tech Local Content Policy (Non-Oil & Gas)
- National Research Infrastructure (NRI) Open Access Portal
To ensure structured implementation, eight syndicate groups were constituted to refine these initiatives. The groups revised the Ministry’s existing Performance Bond and developed new deliverables, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and annual targets for 2026–2027. The updated Performance Management Framework was signed off by Directors-General and Directors during the retreat, with the Honourable Minister and the Permanent Secretary expected to formally endorse the revised Performance Bond.
The Permanent Secretary, FMIST, Mr. Philip Ndiomu delivered the welcome address, while the representative of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman highlighted the importance of performance management and the Presidential Performance Bond.
The retreat also featured goodwill messages from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO-PACE) and contributions from the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
Deliberations acknowledged past performance challenges, with institutional ratings averaging between 30 and 40 per cent. Participants proposed actionable strategies to overcome structural constraints, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and adopt innovative delivery approaches aimed at achieving significantly improved outcomes.
By strengthening synergy across agencies and sharpening focus on innovation-led growth, FMIST reaffirmed its commitment to job creation, technology commercialization, and sustainable prosperity under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The retreat ended with a reaffirmation of the Ministry’s commitment to advancing innovation-driven growth, technology commercialization, job creation, and sustainable prosperity. By sharpening strategic focus and strengthening accountability mechanisms, FMIST and its agencies are positioning themselves to drive inclusive economic transformation in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
