…UNESCO: STI is key to improving Nigeria’s Global Competitiveness for FOREX
…Economic renaissance beckons as FG kickstarts EO5 implementation, STI ecosystem in N/central
By Hillary Asemota
The Minister of State for Science Technology and Innovation (STI), Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh, on Wednesday admitted that the the role of Science Technology and Innovation (STI) in the country’s developmental equation has not been fully utilized.
This is coming even as the Federal Government kickstarted the strategy that will midwife a new renaissance that would transform Nigeria’s economy landscape from resource to a knowledge based that is innovation driven.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Monilola Udoh, at the Flag-off of the dialogue in Abuja between government and other stakeholders on the establishment and implementation of the technology and innovation centres for Global Competitiveness and productivity, said it is part of the requirements for the full implementation of Presidential Executive Order No 5 (EO5), he said it had become necessary to establish 6 technology and innovation Centers to assist in closing the gaps research works are taking place in silos.
According to Ikoh, the Executive Order No 5 is aimed at placing the Nigerian professionals and manufacturers at the centre of the Nigerian economy.
The Minister said: “It is an instrument of this administration to midwife a new renaissance that would transform our economy from resource-based to a knowledge based that is innovation driven.
“The technology and innovation centers established under the EO5 are designed to serve as centers of excellence with the major objectives of improving on the present understanding of the role of Science Technology and Innovation in the Socio-economic development of Nigeria.
“It is also aimed at establishing a frame work for consultation, sharing experience, information and practices as well creation of a conducive environment for interaction among the scientists working on projects in different geopolitical zones of the country and internationally.
“The centres will also serve as medium for presentation and analysis of Research Findings and Results for possible patenting and commercialization.”
However, the dwindling revenue base and upsurge in foreign exchange rate of the country, he said calls for serious concern, hence, the need to look inwards at the active impact STI in reversing this trend.
He said: “The continuous improvement Global Competitiveness Index for Nigeria in the global market is an important task that we must continue to pursue to enable our country command equitable share of export in the global market.
“The experience of COVID-19 in our economic transformation of many countries in the world including Nigeria is an example that indicates the importance of STI in Socio Economic Development of a Nation and the need to make STI play important role in Socio Economic Development of any nation.
He however urged that more needs to be done in in STI to achieve the desired goal, explaining that there is need to continue to improve on the business, industry and service driven research and development capacity and capability of the country.
Ikoh, added: “The trajectory in business and R&D are the main drivers of innovation including sound policies thereafter form good technological progress towards accelerating the goals of sustainability and shared prosperity.
“It is my strong belief that at the end of the dialogue in the 6 zones, the stakeholders will be able to come up with a strategy that will ensure that the technology and innovation centers will produce tech giants, effectively encourage, peer review of researchers for, promote learning of new approaches to research through interaction.
“It is expected that the outcome of the dialogue will result in increase in patents, innovative discoveries and inventions, emergence of commercial research and development companies, improved research funding and interaction amongst Scientists in Nigeria, better visibility for Nigerian as well as provision of platform for presentation of results of reverse engineering and breakthroughs from inventions.
In a remark, the Director, UNESCO Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Dimitri Sanga, who was represented by Dr. Enang Moma, expressed optimism that Nigeria will improve on its Global Competitiveness Index, following the increased momentum on training for the Ministry staff.
Sanga, said: “UNESCO and the Ministry have kick-started collaboration in 3 key areas of STI, using STEM as building block for capacity development.”
The UNESCO boss acknowledge that it participated in the enhancement of the revised STI policy using the 14 strategies which revolve around competitiveness and open science governance based and driven by market research.
