FG Must Lead in Commercialisation of Indigenous Research Outcomes, Engineering Experts Insist

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

To end the pervasive neglect of the outcomes of indigenous research and development, experts in the field of engineering have urged the federal government to show the way in promoting the application of the local engineering innovations.

The advice was among the four recommendations in a communique issued by engineers after brainstorming at the international conference hosted by the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU).

The conference themed, “Engineering for Sustainable Economy, Security and Agricultural Development”, was the third in the biennial event. It attracted no fewer than 1,651 partcipants from various fields of engineering.

In the revised communique signed by the Dean, Engineering Faculty of MOUAU, Prof Edwin Ahaneku, and Prof. Bethrand Nwankwojike, the conference planning committee chair, the experts stressed the important role of the FG in the applications of indigenous research outputs.

According to the engineers at the conference, “the Federal Government of Nigeria should take the lead in the adoption, standardization and commercialization of indigenous engineering innovations and inventions for growth and prosperity of engineering industries in Nigeria”.

To this end, the conference participants recommended that “public-private sector collaboration should be vigorously pursued and encouraged by government at all levels to advance local production of agricultural, manufacturing, communication and surveillance systems”.

They noted that the PPP approach in promoting local innovations in research and development could be achieved “through policy initiatives and incentives by providing adequate grants for research and development”.

“Government and organized private organizations should redouble efforts in engineering infrastructures investment and enforcement of safety standards and regulations in their operations to advance agricultural and industrial development in Nigeria,” the experts said.

They also called for sustainable economic practices and national strategy for empowerment of our citizens with our engineering research outputs.

These two-pronged initatives were identified as “crucial to enhancement of Gross Domestic Products(GDP), cyber and food security indices of the nation”.

In the course of their “exhaustive deliberations” between July 3 and July 5, 2024, the participants observed that “Nigeria of today needs serious relief from the dwindling conditions in all facets of the human development index”.

They also pointed out that Nigeria’s economy “holds immense potential for growth and diversification but presently vulnerable due to its over- reliance on unmanufactured export and imported consumer goods”.

“Nigeria has enough human and material resources as well as indigenous research inventions/innovations to revive her devastated economy and security,” the engineers noted in the communique.

While lamenting the huge payments by government in combating crime instead of focusing more on “human empowerment aspect of national security”, the participants concluded that the approach “is counterproductive”.

The technical sessions of the international conference involved the presentation of 94 papers with the lead paper presented by the  Executive Director/CEO, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization(NCAM) Ilorin – Engr. Dr. Kamal Abdulgafar Rasheed.

The other 93 papers were structured around three thematic areas, namely, Advances in energy and information technology; Sustainable engineering innovations for agricultural development and food security; and Materials processing/manufacturing and infrastructural development frontiers.