The Nigerian Government has remained consistent in its quest to commercialise the innovation and invention of Nigerians through investment in research and development(R&D).
The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has been at the forefront to build the capacity and to provide technical assistance to Nigerian researchers promote indigenous technology to reduce overdependence on imported technological products.
Recently NOTAP dicharged Intellectual Property (IP) stakeholders to ensure the commercialization of their Patents in order to exploit the financial benefits. This call was made during a Patentees Forum held in Jos, Plateau State for the North Central with the theme: “After Patent, What Next?”
Speaking at the Patentees forum, the director-general of NOTAP, Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, represented by the Director Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination, Mrs. Caroline Anie-Osuagwu said the Office decided to organize the programme in all the six geo-political zones of the country to ensure that inventors and innovators who own patents exploit their financial benefits through commercialisation.
The NOTAP boss said that patents that cannot metamorphose into tangible products and services are not worth keeping as they are liabilities to the owners. He added that researchers with patented inventions can licence their invention for royalty purposes or sell them outrightly to venture capitalists if they cannot commercialise.
Dr. Ibrahim stated that over the years, the nation had depended on consumption of products from foreign research while Nigeria is blessed with an array of intellectuals. Ibrahim added that inventions and innovations are products of research therefore Nigerian researchers should take up demand-driven research that will turn into goods and services for the benefit of the country.
In his goodwill message, the vice chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, who was also the Chairman of the occasion, said that in the early 70s, Nigeria, South Korea and Brazil were referred to as developing countries but today, South Koreans are visiting Nigeria to teach Nigerians how to achieve technological development.
He noted that technology development is a product of research work but while Korea and other developed countries embarked on industrially-motivated research, Nigerians were looking at oil for economic sustainability.
The university don said no meaningful technology development could be achieved by any country without investing heavily on research that is capable of turning products to the market for local satisfaction. He said that Innoson Motors Limited was a major breakthrough in Nigeria, yet it doesn’t enjoy the much patronage from citizens as one would have expected.
He advised that Nigerians must patronise made in Nigeria products and services before such products could attract international patronage, the statement said.
Participants from the host zone commended NOTAP for the impactful programme and requested the Office to link them with investors/up-takers to invest in the commercialisation of their inventions, the statement added.
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