By Seun Adams
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, over the weekend called on the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to support both the public and Nigerian individuals carrying out research and innovation efforts.
The Ministry, the Minister said has over 18 research institutions spread across the country.
Nnaji, made the disclosure while commissioning the 7th NOTAP/PZ Upgraded Chemistry laboratory at the Federal University of Technology(FUTA) Akure, Ondo State.
The Minister represented by the Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion(NOTAP) Dr. Barr. Obiageli Amadiobi, said the project is a result of the strategic partnership between NOTAP and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. is aimed at strengthening technology acquisition and research in the country.
He said that during NOTAP monitoring exercise as a regulator of technology transfer, it observed many inadequacies and disconnect between industries and the National Innovation System(NIS).
This according to him, led to a lack of confidence in our graduates and their research capability by the industries which resulted in the absence of any indigenous Research and Development (R&D)results being used in any of the numerous industries in Nigeria.
Nnaji noted that in order to address the identified weaknesses, NOTAP came up with the NOTAP-Industry Partnership Initiative with a number of schemes in 2009.
He added that the initiatives were conceived to complement the ministry’s effort in strengthening linkage with industry and provision of infrastructure in our R&D establishments.
The minister stressed that the research laboratory upgrade is one of the schemes aimed at providing state-of-the art equipment to universities and research institutes for sound research infrastructure to produce reliable and viable R&D results.
The Minister commended PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc for being a strategic partner to NOTAP in the project by upgrading 5 laboratories in Modibo Adama University of Technology Yola, National Research Institute for Chemical Technology Zaria, University of Calabar, Alex Ekwueme University of Technology Ndufu-Alike Ebonyi and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi which were all commissioned.
He added that PZ Cussons has recently upgraded additional 5 laboratories at the cost of N100 million naira each and FUTA is one of the beneficiaries and the first institution to benefit in the South West geopolitical zone of the country.
The minister called on other private sector organisations to emulate the laudable gesture by PZ Cussons in order to strengthen R&D activities towards wealth and job creation and promised that those who do so will be legally reciprocated by the ministry through NOTAP.
In her remarks, the DG,vwho was represented by the Director Consultancy Services department of NOTAP Mrs. Yejide Akinkunmi, decried the fact that as a result of the weak research infrastructure in our knowledge establishments over 90% of the technologies that power the Nigerian economy in almost all sectors were foreign.
This she said calls for an urgent need to upgrade our research laboratories to enhance our capacity to chunk out commercializable R&D results.
Amadiobi, said in an attempt to address the challenges of research infrastructure, the office initiated the NOTAP-Industry Research Laboratory Upgrade Project(NIRLUP) in partnership with industry on voluntary terms.
She added that since the project started in 2014, PZ Cussons agreed to partner with NOTAP and have so far spent N115 million in the first tranche, N100 million in the second tranche and N500 million in the third tranche to upgrade chemical and chemistry laboratories of universities and research institutes spread across the country.
She expressed appreciation to the former Chief Executive Officer of PZ Cussons Mr. Christos Giannopoulos, for his believe in the partnership and the current CEO of the company Mr. Dimitris kostianis, for sustaining the partnership.
In his speech, the Chief Executive Officer PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc Mr. Dimitris Kostianis represented by the Director Supply Chain of the company Engr. Ifeanyichukwu Abadom, said PZ has been an active player in the Nigerian society for many decades.
He added that over the years the company partnered with NOTAP to deliver on their mission of acquisition and promotion of technology and their pursuit for domestication of foreign technology.
The PZ boss noted that the company has served as a strong linkage between academic research centers and industry which is needed to deepen the relevance of research in new product development.
He posited that collaboration between industry and academia is inevitable if we truly want to make technological progress in our society.
Kostianis, revealed that the company has upgraded six laboratories in different parts of the country which are already commissioned and have equipped three additional universities which are awaiting commissioning.
In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of FUTA Prof. Mrs. Adenike Oladiji who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Prof. Timothy Amos, expressed immense appreciation to NOTAP and PZ for the laboratory equipment donated to the University stressing that it will add to the research infrastructure of the institution.
She promised that the equipment will be optimally utilised and maintained for the benefit of researchers in the university.
The equipment donated to FUTA through the NOTAP/PZ partnership for the upgrade of Chemistry and Chemical laboratories across the country is the first of its kind in Nigeria.