The quest to secure Nigeri’a economic future is squarely anchored on the growth and development of Science Technology and Innovation (STI). The components of this initiative have always been the establishment of science and technology parks as the hubs of innovation, research and development as it is done in other developed countries.
And to harness the potential of Nigeria towards this objectives, the minister of science technology and innovation (STI) Adeleke Mamora, has emphasised the importance of Science and Technology Parks as a tool for the economic transformation of Nigeria in line with STI Policy of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The minister said this while delivering his keynote address at the opening of a two-day stakeholders workshop on the Development and Management of Science and Technology Parks and the Integration of Technology Foresight in National Development at the Sheda Science and Technology Complex( SHESTCO) Sheda, Abuja.
The minister, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Mrs Monilola Udoh, noted that the ministry developed the National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap (NSTIR) 2030 to serve as Nigeria’s strategic plan for creation and deployment of STI utilities to national development initiatives, programmes and projects.
He added that the overall aim of the Roadmap which encompasses STI as the key driver and catalyst for Nigeria’s long-term sustainable economic development is in line with the mandate of the ministry to facilitate the development and deployment of STI to enhance the pace of socio-economic development of the country.
“The Science and Technology Parks programme has been globally celebrated as one of the essential tools or platform that have tremendously transformed the developmental landscape of nations that embrace it. In an era where knowledge and free market are the main engines of development, Science and Technology Park is needed to form the base for industrial competitiveness of a developing economy like ours,” he said.
It is instructive to note that Science and Technology Parks have many advantages on national economies especially as they stimulate and effectively manage the flow of knowledge and technology amongst universities, Research and Development institutions, companies and markets. Science Parks also facilitate the creation and growth of innovation-based companies through incubation and spin-off processes and provide other value-added services together with high quality space and facilities.
“The research and development capability of Nigerians shall further be boosted and more results shall be archived when the National Research and Innovation Council (NRIC) and the National Research and Innovation Funds (NRIF) become operational soon,” Mamora assured.
The director-general of SHESTCO, Prof.P C Onyenekwe in his remarks said the complex is expected to provide the nation with modern and sophisticated facilities for use by national and international researchers at a comparable level that exists in advanced world.
“The increased interest in the development of Science and Technology Parks globally is related to the fact that there is the need to foster a viable innovation led sector as well as the need for a robust research and development base using indigenous human capital and associated commercialisation of technology to accelerate socio-economic development,” he said.
He assured that the complex would create a focal point for building critical mass for infrastructure and expertise that would catalyse and fast-track the commercialisation of existing and emerging technologies and research output.
Ambassador Zainab Mohammed, a project communicator, presented a paper entitled: “ The Role of Private Sector in the Development and Management of Science and Technology Park.”
She said science parks are multi-dimesional initiative to bring research and innovation to the door steps in form of labs, incubation centers designed to support research and development in science, innovation and technology.
Nigeria’s quest to promote STI through the Science Parks system irrespective of how well-intentioned, has some real challenges and the most prominent is the question of funding for research and development. This has been the most challenging because of paucity of funds. Until the nation invests massively on research and development, the dream to compete with the advanced nations in STI, may remain a mirage.
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