UNILAG’s professor takes eco-friendly nanotech paints from lab to market

…Olayide Obidi delivers UNILAG’s 466th inaugural lecture

Olayide Obidi, a professor of Industrial Microbiology and Bionanotechnology at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), has spotlighted the commercial potential of eco-friendly nanotechnology-based paints, showcasing how research innovation can move from the laboratory to the marketplace.

Obidi, who delivered UNILAG’s 466th inaugural lecture, titled “From Micro to Nano: The Colourful Voyage of an Industrial Microbiologist” on Wednesday, when she highlighted the development of sustainable nanotech paints as part of her contribution to advancing environmentally friendly materials and translating academic research into practical solutions.

The research focuses on replacing potentially hazardous materials used in conventional paints with bio-based and green nanotechnology alternatives that can provide microbial protection and improve coating performance while reducing risks to human health and the environment.

“What inspired this is the constant request and demand for eco-friendly alternatives and sustainable alternatives,” Obidi told BusinessDay after the lecture.

She said the research was partly driven by concerns about solvent-based paints, volatile organic compounds and the use of lead in paint production.

“Lead has been incorporated in order to speed up the drying and to prolong the shelf life, but we don’t want to do that because it’s going to affect people’s health,” she said.

The innovation could position Nigerian researchers and manufacturers to capture opportunities in the expanding global paints and coatings industry. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global paints and coatings market is estimated at more than $200 billion in 2026 and is projected to exceed $300 billion in the coming decade.

The professor of Industrial Microbiology and Bionanotechnology in her lecture explained that her research journey, which spanned more than 23 years, had progressed from testing raw materials and finished paints to developing products capable of addressing industrial challenges.

“We actually started from raw material testing, paint testing and checking, but now we have moved to production and innovation so that we can solve real-world challenges,” she said.

Her work examines green nanomaterials for sustainable paint and coating production, including their potential as alternatives to conventional biocides, pigments and other synthetic ingredients.

“Several formulations resulting from the research have been patented, while the products have also undergone testing ahead of their planned introduction to the market.

“We have formulated different paints which are eco-friendly and they have been patented. They have been approved by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and they are ready for commercialisation,” she explained.

Obidi holds patents for the development of an environmentally friendly, non-toxic alternative to biocides for the paint industry, sealed in October 2024, and eco-friendly nanotechnology-based anti-corrosive paints, sealed in July 2025.

The professor said the next phase would involve partnerships with paint manufacturers and other industry players capable of taking the innovations from the university laboratory to large-scale production.

“Commercialisation” is now the priority, she said, adding that discussions with industries could lead to licensing arrangements under which manufacturers take over production and sales of the formulations.

The move reflects a broader challenge facing Nigeria’s research ecosystem, where potentially viable university innovations often struggle to cross the gap between laboratory development and commercial deployment.

Obidi said stronger links between academia and industry would be required if research investments were to deliver greater economic and social value.

“Research should not end in the laboratory,” she said during the lecture. “It should be commercialised and beneficial to humanity.”

She also called for increased investment in well-equipped laboratories, technological research and collaboration involving government, research councils, regional development agencies and industry.

Beyond industrial applications, Obidi’s work has extended to STEM education. In 2021, she founded the Society for Girls STEM Education Africa, an initiative focused on encouraging female secondary school students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.

For Obidi, however, the transition from analysing microorganisms to developing nanotechnology-based coatings represents a central outcome of a career devoted to translating scientific research into practical solutions.

“Our research has yielded tangible outcomes which can solve current problems in the industry,” she said, “and also meet economic and market demand.”

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