FG Pledges to Apply Science, Technology To Building A Better Future

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has assured that the administration will build a better future for the country using innovations in science and technology.

Osinbajo, who gave the assurance at the Science and Technology Expo 2018 in Abuja on Monday, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved a science and technology roadmap 2017 to 2030 to drive the initiative.

According to him, the Federal Government plans to strengthen the technology and innovation ecosystem by supporting the development of innovation hubs in partnership with the private sector.

“This is well on course; we have recently completed a competitive selection process for the private sector entities which will implement and manage the hubs.

“Each of these hubs will focus on solving the market challenges peculiar to the region of the country in which it is located.

“Perhaps, more importantly, is that we are collaborating with the Bank of Industry with a civic hub, a private hub, and other private sector entities to run a presidential technology innovation challenge in all Nigerian universities, public and private and some polytechnics in April.’’

He said that each university winner would be invited to an awards event to be hosted by Buhari at the presidential villa

Osinbajo said that the administration would also create technology hubs in universities in the six geo-political zones

He said there was the need to celebrate the achievements on Nigerians at home and abroad in the science and technology sphere as well as the creativity of the nation’s military.

He recalled the Air Force had demonstrated the drive to innovate by launching the very advanced Un-manned Arial Vehicles (UAV) to add to an earlier production of a revolutionary version diaphragms used in fighter gets.

“They are now in the process of commercialising the products and we are told that several countries have already expressed an interest in buying the diaphragms from the Nigerian Air Force,’’ he said.

He recalled the fifth executive order signed by Buhari aimed at boosting programmes that had science, engineering and technology components.

He said that the order outlawed the use of foreign contents where the local counterparts were available and urged ministries, departments and agencies to align with the order to achieve its lofty objectives.

He said science and tech remained a major input in the economic growth plan aimed at moving the country away from a resource-based to knowledge-based model.

The vice president commended those who emerged the best from all the 774 local government areas of the country in the young Nigerian scientists’ competition.

He consequently announced that the first three winners had been granted full scholarships up to Phd level in any science-related discipline of their choice in Nigerian universities.

“The future of our country belongs to young people; it is our duty to create the enabling environment for them to be nurtured and grow to the fullest potential,’’ he said.

He commended the Ministry of Science and Technology for initiating the technology and innovation expo, adding that Nigerians had always demonstrated remarkable ingenuity and inventiveness at home and abroad.

According to him, with the right environment and support there is no limit to how far Nigerians can go, especially in innovation, science and technology.