NOTAP: Nigeria Must Domesticate Foreign Technology to Solve Socio-economic Challenges

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The Director General/CEO of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, has stated that Nigeria must attract and domesticate foreign technology to address her socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, hunger, poverty and others.
She stated this at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja at the agency’s headquarters to herald the forthcoming 2024 “African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).”

Amadiobi said no nation on earth can develop without adequately deploying science, technology and innovations.

She stated: “Undoubtedly, no nation of the earth can develop without adequate deployment of science, technology and innovation; especially indigenous technologies.

“Additionally, the concept of IPR is derived from the rights conferred on an individual or corporate body by a legal authority to have exclusive control over the exploitation of his or her works of intellect over a stipulated period, exercising exclusive monopoly over the invention.

“Unless Nigeria develops the technical manpower to attract and domesticate foreign technology in various facets of socio- economic activities, it may be difficult for it to meet up with the challenges of unemployment, hunger, poverty, accelerated climate change, scarcity of resource, increased pressure on the environment, youth restiveness and insecurity.”

According to her, in today’s knowledge-based economy and thriving global business environment, absorption of new technology has become a veritable component for companies to survive and increase their competitiveness in the market place.

She underscored the fact that, for a nation state, technology is used as a tool to enhance global competitiveness.
Her wors: “Nations are no longer valued in terms of their population, geographical landmass or mineral resources but on the organic mass of knowledge in its citizenry translated into viable R&D outputs, highly valuable IPRs and commercialized products.

“The Nigerian government has through NOTAP and the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, demonstrated its determination to promote indigenous technologies through the encouragement of the entrepreneurs, researchers and inventors in the protection of their intellectual property and make seamless the process for the acquisition of foreign technology.

“I wish to state that the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology through all its agencies like NOTAP, is working assiduously in collaboration with other stakeholders to create relevant policies that motivate inventiveness to ensure rapid technological development of our country.”

On the importance of the African Day for Technology and Intellectual Property Rights, she noted that the commemoration of the day demonstrates the great importance which African nations place on science, technology and innovation as an engine that drives development.

“With the increasing importance of knowledge as the main engine of growth in this digital era, the decision of African leaders to declare a day for the commemoration of the role of Technology and Intellectual Property in achieving sustainable development in African continent is a positive stride.

“In today’s knowledge-based economy and thriving global business environment; absorption of new technology has become a veritable component for companies to survive and increase their competitiveness in the market place, Worthy of note is the fact that, for a nation state, technology is used as a tool to enhance global competitiveness,” she added.