Experts urge new thinking to tap potentials in science and technology

Experts have called for new thinking to unlock hidden potentials in science and technology in Nigeria

Pascal Dozie, an entrepreneur and businessman said there are huge potentials in the science and technology sector that have remained largely untapped.

The entrepreneur and founder of Diamond Bank made this statement while delivering his address at the breakfast meeting hosted by the minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation and other entrepreneurs on 11 December 2021 in Victoria Island Lagos.

According to him, Nigeria is still struggling with the first industrial revolution while the global economy is already in the fourth stage.

“The gap is massive and the question is what should we do? Do we keep doing what we are doing, or are new thinking and framework required? while I might be regarded as old school, my old intelligence and better Nigeria suggests that new thinking is needed and it is urgent,” Pascal Said.

He noted that with over 25 million Nigerians unemployed, over 80 million classified as extremely poor, and major economic development variables heading south, the importance of new thinking and framework of collaboration particularly in the Science, Technology, and Innovation ecosystem cannot be overemphasized.

Meanwhile, Ogbonnaya Onuh, the minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, while addressing attendees at the meeting stated that Nigeria should be both producers and consumers of essential scientific research and innovation products and not only consumers.

Read also: Ogbonnaya Onu, Pascal Dozie, others urge deployment of science, technology for nation building

“Hence, for Nigeria to have a bright future with respect to achieving food security, providing safe drinking water for all Nigerians in addition to its use in agriculture and industry, providing shelter for our people, clothing both the old and the young, getting enough drugs and the appropriate medical equipment for our health care, fighting and defeating illiteracy through mass and high-quality education, alleviating poverty, strengthening our economy, protecting our environment, securing our nation, we need to effectively deploy science and technology,” Onuh said.

He noted that Nigerians have all it takes to achieve the development of the country and urged entrepreneurs and investors to work harder to expand their business by helping to transform research findings into products, goods, and services as the risk involved is already taken by the ministry through research and innovation activities.

Mohammed Jubrin, the DG, National Board of technology incubation, said that the board has been encouraging academia to establish institutional-based incubators as well as part of the sector to establish private incubators and the intervention is yielding significant progress.

Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Mohammed Abdullahi while delivering his speech urges entrepreneurs to have effective collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation to lift Nigeria to a greater ranking in global competitiveness imperatives.