R&D: Minister Says Nigeria Needs to Take Its Position Among Great Nations

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji has said the time has come for Nigeria to take its place among great nations on the globe in terms of science and innovation.

The Minister said this yesterday in Abuja during the opening of the National Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Coordination Summit.

He said: “In today’s rapidly evolving world, the pace of technological advancements is not just fast; it is exponential.

“Nations that have recognised and harnessed the power of research, development, and innovation are leading the charge towards economic prosperity, societal wellbeing, and sustainable development. It is time for Nigeria to take its rightful place among these nations.”

Nnaji argued that to achieve this, Nigeria must first acknowledge that it requires robust coordination, one that is resilient, inclusive, and forward-thinking.

“ Our goal is to create a system where academia, industry, government, and the community not only interact but thrive together, fostering an environment ripe for ground-breaking innovations.

“Our vision for Nigeria is to become a hub for African innovation, contributing significantly to the global knowledge economy. It is imperative that we build and strengthen the institutional frameworks necessary for effective RDI coordination.

“This includes policy reforms that incentivize research and development, protect intellectual properties, and facilitate the commercialisation of research outcomes,” he said.

The minister said with the theme of the gathering: “Advancing Nigeria’s Global Competitiveness, Through Resilient National RDI Coordination,’’ was not just a statement of intent, but a clarion call to action.

“We want to bring out all the innovations, the researches we have in the shelf and develop them and that is the fulcrum of my involvement as a minister,” he said.

Chief Strategy Officer of West and Central African Research and Education Network ( WACREN), Mr Omo Oaiya, said one of the things the organisation does is the Pan-African initiative to strengthen open science in Africa.

He said: “As part of that, we are also working with countries in different events like this to drive cooperation and collaboration so that we can reap the benefits of such an endeavour.”

President-elect Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Abubakar Sambo, said the summit was expected to look into how research and development, and in particular science, technology and innovation research can be used to significantly impact government agendas.

“It is to bring up what is needed to be undertaken to boost development of the country through programmes that involve research, development and innovation, and also through policy making,” he said.

Also speaking, Chairman Tech India Ltd, Dr. Shabihul Hassan,, said that the whole concept of research, development and innovation is collaboration.

“We have been connecting, collaborating with intellectuals, with members of the public and private sector to see how we can foster growth in the agri-sector, in the health sector, in the power sector, in the infrastructure sector,” he said.

The conference also agreed that there was urgent need for the creation of National Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) ecosystem in Nigeria.