University Commercialisation Gaps and the Technology Transfer Ecosystem in Nigerian Federal Universities

This study empirically examines the commercialisation gaps and technology transfer ecosystem weaknesses that prevent university-generated research and innovations from being translated into commercially viable enterprises in Nigerian federal universities. University entrepreneurship and technology transfer are central to the knowledge economy development agenda, yet Nigerian universities generate very little commercially deployed intellectual property despite increasing research output, suggesting systematic ecosystem failures in the pathway from research to venture creation. The study employs a mixed-methods design, administering a survey to 150 research-active academics and 30 commercialisation office administrators across eight federal universities in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Ibadan, Benin, Port Harcourt, and Maiduguri, supplemented by in-depth interviews with 20 academic entrepreneurs who have attempted or achieved commercialisation. Survey data examine knowledge transfer activity, commercialisation infrastructure quality, and institutional support, while interviews explore the barriers and enablers experienced by academic entrepreneurs. Regression analysis and thematic analysis are applied. Findings reveal that inadequate technology transfer office staffing and expertise, the absence of commercialisation incentives in academic performance evaluation, poor connections between university research and industry needs, and very limited pre-seed university funding for proof-of-concept development are the most significant structural gaps. The study contributes empirical evidence on the specific ecosystem failures that distinguish Nigerian university commercialisation from more successful models in South Africa and Egypt. Keywords: university commercialisation, technology transfer, academic entrepreneurship, Nigerian universities, research ecosystem.