Countries like Japan, China and South Korea were adjudged as countries with inferior technology in the 1990s but with the turn of the century their technology products are seen as world class standards with the world queuing at their doorsteps to acquire the latest technology.
At a media conference to launch the 2017 Science and Technology expo in Abuja, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, said these countries were able to grow their brand and products through support from government and patronage by their citizens.
He said the countries which started developing their technological expertise in the 90s continued learning from other nations, reversing engineering products and fine-tuning their technologies until they’ve become the symbol of excellence.
Saying the reverse is the case in Nigeria, he explained that the one week techno expo with the theme ‘Science, technology and innovation for Nigeria`s economic diversification’, was an opportunity for Nigerian innovators and inventors from all works of life to showcase the available technologies they are currently working on to members of the public.
He stressed that the expo would provide opportunity for an interface between inventors, innovators and investors with a view to linking investors to invest in the commercialisation of viable technologies.
He said: “We are committed to the commercialisation of research results in our various research institutes across the country. This is no longer the era where research results are left to lie on the shelves in our various research institutes. We are committed to the commercialisation of these breakthroughs in research. This expo is not restricted to research institutes under the ministry but to other researchers across all sectors in the ministries and even at the state level, universities, polytechnics, industrial laboratories and the organised informal sector.
“It provides a platform to help inventors and innovators to interface with investors. It will provide an opportunity for the inventors and innovators to see what others are developing as well as to show investors what they are developing.”
Onu said the annual event would be used to prepare young Nigerian innovators and inventors on how to commercialise their products and become global brands, adding it would also serve as a platform to promote made in Nigeria goods.
‘‘The expo has the capacity of promoting made in Nigeria goods; we must continue to do research so as to improve and compete with the best in the world.
‘‘We have what it takes to be great in terms of population and resources. We want to show the world that Nigeria is now taking science and technology very serious. The technology we will showcase in the expo may not be up to the world’s standard, but going forward, we will grow and overtake the rest of the world.
“It is high time for Nigerians to patronize made-in-Nigeria goods with a view to encouraging the inventors,” he further stressed, adding the proposed expo would bring in a lot of innovations, which if adopted, would create more employment opportunities for the teeming youths in particular and enhance foreign earnings.
According to the minister, the objective of the event is to create job opportunities and reduce poverty in the country and above all help young Nigerians move away from indulging in all forms of illegality.
He also said the ministry is currently in the process of compiling a Science and Technology (S&T) roadmap for the nation. He pointed out that the proposed Nigeria’s 13-year Science and Technology Road Map was designed to prepare the country to overtake the rest of the world by 2030.
He explained that the preparation of the Road-Map for the year 2030 is ongoing and had reached the final stage of adding inputs from various state governments and other relevant stakeholders before the final draft is presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
The minister while underscoring the role of science and technology in diversification of every economy, insisted that Nigeria has what it takes to become a super economic power in the world and compete in science and technological advancement and breakthroughs.
‘‘We are working on the Science and Technology Road Map of 13 years to get to where we want to be. We have gotten to advanced stage but need to distribute it to state governments to make inputs before forwarding it to FEC.
‘‘Nigeria has the capacity to top the global economic ranking with a clear road map. All we need is to harness the available resources and mobilize the nation to greatness, he stated.
On the electronic voting device from NASENI, Onu said a lot of work had gone into the project and assured that the ministry would approach the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to discuss further on how to commercialize the technology for the 2019 general elections.