Nigerian Engineer Calls for Stronger R&D Investment to Drive Africa’s Global Competitiveness

By Tosin Clegg

Engr. Augustine Ekechi, a seasoned Nigerian engineer and Cardiff Metropolitan University MBA graduate, has called for stronger investment in Research and Development (R&D) across African industries with a view to strengthen innovation capacity and enhance the continent’s competitiveness in the global economy.

Disclosing in a recent MBA dissertation, titled “How Research and Development Help to Improve Competitive Advantage of firms with Huawei Technologies as case study,” the expert offers a detailed analysis of how sustained investment in R&D enables global technology firms like Huawei to maintain long-term leadership and resilience in a fast-evolving digital marketplace.

Ekechi explained that the research, which examined Huawei’s global strategy, revealed that embedding R&D at the core of business operations is central to achieving sustainable innovation.

According to the expert, he stressed that Huawei’s decision to establish more than 20 R&D centers across Europe, Asia, and North America has allowed the company to blend global expertise with localized innovation, ensuring its products remain relevant and responsive to diverse market needs.

“Research and Development should not be seen as a corporate cost, but as a strategic investment in the future,” Ekechi said.

“Nations and corporations that prioritize innovation are the ones shaping the trajectory of global industry.”
Ekechi’s work further underscores that companies which align R&D activities with strategic business goals experience improved productivity, efficiency, and market adaptability.

His study recommends that African corporations and policymakers adopt innovation-focused management systems and create R&D incentives that encourage partnerships between universities, private companies, and government agencies.

Drawing from his professional experience across oil, gas, and renewable energy sectors, Ekechi further emphasized that Africa’s growth will depend on bridging the gap between research and commercialization.

“Our industries must learn to translate academic knowledge into practical innovation,” he said. “This is the pathway to sustainable development and value creation.” He stated.

Ekechi’s academic and professional journey embodies that philosophy. With a background in chemical engineering, he has led several projects in energy systems design, renewable fuel development, and gas-turbine optimization, areas where research has directly translated into operational improvements and cost reduction.

His combined expertise in engineering and business management positions him among a new generation of African professionals advocating for knowledge-based industrialization.

The expert argues that Nigeria, in particular, must invest in R&D frameworks that connect higher education with the private sector, enabling research outputs to drive industrial productivity.

“When a country embeds innovation into its economic DNA, it becomes globally competitive,” he noted.

“That’s the lesson from firms like Huawei, whose long-term vision is powered by continuous learning and reinvestment in technology.”

His insights position African nations and Nigeria especially as potential contributors to global technological progress rather than mere consumers of imported solutions.

Through his work, Ekechi demonstrates how cross-disciplinary expertise and research-driven thinking can guide Africa’s transition toward a more competitive, innovation-based economy.