Research and innovation in nation building: Index for sustainable development in critical sector of the Nigerian state

Research and innovation are key index of a growing, productive society as it breed industrialization and development. Research is a systematic undertaking that offers solution/knowledge to questions of need resulting in applications towards a better, informed and well positioned society, together with innovation being the creation of alternative solutions or improvement targeted at existing needs within a system forms the drivers for a growing, transformation nation. The aim of this review the application of research and innovation competences towards the success of sustainable development goals in nation building of Nigeria as the case study. The competences available should be refocused and maximized in areas of resources, capacity tailored manpower and commitment to converting the waste to wealth, partnership and inclusive involvement of concerned individuals and nations. The challenges such as inadequate research orientation, poor technological entrepreneurial culture, inadequate motivation for the commercialization of research results, lack of synergy and effective linkages between researcher and end users, skewed education from partial neglect of the education sector, lack of research mentorship to building research capabilities and undertaking quality innovative research should be tackled by stakeholders and supporting bodies to encourage research and development through innovations.