NRDF, Catalyst for Massive Scientific Innovations in Nigeria, Says TETFund

Kuni Tyessi

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has said a new vista is emerging in Nigeria with the inauguration of the committee on National Research and Development Foundation’s (NRDF) draft executive bill.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, stated this during the fourth edition of the virtual Global Engagement Series: ‘The Paradigm Shift, with focus on the Institutionalisation of R&D in Nigeria’s Engineering, Technology and Material Sciences Sector’.

Bogoro said there is hope for Nigeria once the bill is signed into law, adding that it will reflect a new and realistic beginning for knowledge economy to take its rightful place in the country.

“A new vista is emerging in our country that gives hope that we could do something right and we proceed to define the knowledge economy through institutionalisation of R&D.

“It is a long but realisable journey of reality for our country but I remain positive and I am happy to share this information with you today that from today the draft committee on the research foundation that will prepare the executive bill has been inaugurated by the federal ministry of education. It reflects a new beginning, a realistic beginning for the knowledge economy to take its rightful place in our country,” he said.

Earlier, the lead presenter, Professor Mosto Onouha stressed the need to strengthen the curricula in technological entrepreneurship in universities and polytechnics across the country.

He also harped on the need for proper linkages between the academia and the industry through the establishment of intellectual property technological transfer offices.

“We want to develop a culture of introducing technological innovations that can yield significant revenues that will positively impact on our economy and reduce dependence on earnings from crude oil and gas sales for financing our national budget and gradually become a nation that designs and invents things that can be branded and marketed globally.

“There is therefore an urgent need for our nation to establish an institutional framework for funding and management of R&D activities for its sustainable development,” he said, and applauded the executive secretary of TETFund for the current effort to do something about the situation.

“To improve the competitiveness of our goods and services, enhance the ranking of our tertiary institutions on the global scale and for the nation to move from a resources based economy driven by innovation, adequate funding of R&D especially in engineering, technology and maternal science should be provided.

“An institutional framework needs to be put in place to domicile, drive and oversee Nigeria’s progress to a knowledge based economy. The NRDF is the special purpose vehicle being recommended to actualise the above.”