The Director General of the National Institute for Pharmaceuticals Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr. Peter Obi Adigwe, has said that NIPRD and NCC need to collaborate to build a data base to harness the research by all those working in pharmaceutical area, so that prospective investors can access such data base easily.
Adigwe, who spoke extensively to establish the basis for collaboration between NIPRD and NCC based on the latter’s 8-Point Agenda, was speaking during the courtesy visit he paid to the Commission in appreciation of the support NCC had earlier offered and to discuss areas of more concrete collaboration.
Adigwe gave an illustration with eucalyptus oil and noted that kaduna has almost 10,000 hectares of the eucalyptus plant.
According to Adigwe, eucalyptus oil is a multi-billion naira business and rather than work in silos, researchers in such areas should be able to upload findings to a central data base devoted to Nigerian pharmaceutical plant research so that potential investors explore opportunities in that area.
Besides the data base, Adigwe also sought NCC’s support to establish a specialized e-library to encourage research in pharmaceutical sphere.
The Chief Executive of NIPRD said NCC’s support and collaboration is also required to strengthen its ICT infrastructure at its Idu Head office where they have a faculty of some 70 Masters and Doctoral Researchers.
Dr. Adigwe equally informed his host that the need to engage Nigerians on health issues through telecom platforms, social media and religious institutions is important and it will be great for NCC and NIPRD to work out a model for the validation of such action.
In his response, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, congratulated Dr. Adigwe for the notable strides at NIPRD.
The EVC said NCC is always willing to support, partner and collaborate with other institutions to enhance any aspect of the nations growth and development. Prof. Danbatta pledged NCC’s readiness to provide short code, toll free lines or similar communication resources within its powers and its resources.
He also advised NIPRD to explore other programmes and projects undertaken by the NCC, such as the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN), which delivers broadband infrastructure and access to facilitate research and learning.
