Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has said his government is planning to boost economic development in the country through science and technology.
According to him, his administration is going to take concrete actions to correct the neglect of research, science and technology by past governments.
President Buhari promised to commit more resources and energy to science and technology because no country can make progress without serious commitment to the development of science and technology.
Speaking while receiving a briefing on the activities of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the President said that he will fully encourage the work of the Ministry of Science and Technology because innovations from the various research institutes under its supervision could also impact positively on industrial development and manufacturing in Nigeria.
In his remark, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Winifred Oyo-Ita enumerated several challenges hindering the ministry’s effectiveness, including perennial poor funding and the lack of recognition on the part of successive governments of science and technological innovation as a major driver of economic development.
Oyo-Ita told the President that the focus of the Ministry had moved from academic research to market-based innovative research aimed at boosting industrialization.
She asked for more support and political will from the Federal Government to encourage scientific research, innovation and local manufacturing.
