NOTAP to Digitalize Operations for Efficient Service Delivery

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) is to digitalize its operations for efficient service delivery and economic development of the nation.

Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, director general of NOTAP made this known when he received in audience Ms Yewande Sadiku, new executive secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) on behalf of the management team.

Dr. Ibrahim pointed out that one of the challenges the organization is facing is understaffing especially in the delivery of its core mandate, which is the registration of technology transfer agreements.

He noted that with the attendant influx of requests for the registration, it has become pertinent to digitalize the operations of the office for efficient service delivery in line with world best practices. He disclosed that by the end of the first quarter of this year, the office would have finalized the deployment of the needed technologies to aid the registration process of technology transfer agreements.

He informed the NIPC Chief Executive that NOTAP, as one of the 17 parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, has the mandate to implement the acquisition of foreign technology into the country through the registration of technology transfer agreements and the development of local technologies amongst others.

He added that more than 90 percent of the technologies that powers our economy are all imported and called for closer collaboration amongst public institutions to ensure that Nigeria’s economy grows.

The Director General promised that NOTAP management will consider the request by NIPC to repost a staff to the One Stop Investment Center (OSIC) of the commission meant to create an ease of doing business for would be investors in Nigeria.

Earlier, Ms. Sadiku, said the commission as an advocacy agency needs good relationship with its partners as one of the reasons that informed the visit.

She stressed that the commission is a meeting point between the private and public sectors since its mandate is to encourage, coordinate and promote investment in Nigeria and disclosed that the One Stop Investment Center (OSIC) of the commission which has 27 agencies represented by a desk officer is meant to assist investors coming into the country.

She noted that NOTAP is an important partner and should be represented at the OSIC of the commission by a senior focal officer and also requested for a list of companies that register their technology transfer agreements with NOTAP.

The DG presented some NOTAP publications to the visiting ES NIPC, who in turn presented to the DG the publication, ‘The Report: Nigeria 2016’ published by the Oxford Business Group.