President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to enhance the Technology and Innovation Centers established by the federal government across the country’s six geopolitical zones to facilitate Nigeria’s transition to a production economy.
Tinubu, revealing this commitment on Monday at the 2024 Innovation, Technology, and Science Expo in Abuja, also emphasized that these centers would serve as hubs to unite all stakeholders in the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem, charting the utilization of mineral and human resources for global competitiveness.
The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, stressed that the Centers would ensure access to modern technologies, enabling the country to benefit from groundbreaking innovations through the conversion and commercial viability of Research and Development (R&D) outcomes into industrial inputs and products.
He urged relevant stakeholders, especially the private sector, to support this noble idea.
Expanding on the importance of welding, he stated, “It is pertinent to state that welding plays a critical role in strengthening our economy through its deployment and utilization in manufacturing, science and technology, and oil and gas.”
“Therefore, we would promote the application of the National Policy on Welding and Welding Related Fields approved by the Government in 2022 to improve the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria, hasten innovation, lessen unemployment, and reduce capital flight.”
The President announced plans for the establishment of National Centers for Training in Welding and Welding Related Fields (Centers of Excellence) in the Six Geopolitical Zones of the country. These centers would focus on training, re-training, evaluation, and certification of individuals in the practice of welding and welding-related fields.
He directed the Federal Ministries of Finance and National Budget and Economic Planning to provide the required funds and modalities for the commencement of these centers.
“I am aware that the Federal Government, at the 5th edition of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Expo 2021, declared that ‘in tandem with the decision made by the African Union Executive Council in 2006 to establish a target for all member states of 1% of GDP investment in Research and Development (R&D) to improve innovation, productivity, and economic growth, therefore, we want to reiterate that having come to terms with the challenges of this critical sector of the economy, we will henceforth dedicate 0.5% of our GDP to R&D to fast track meaningful development.”
“It is also on record that the previous Government of my predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR made a significant effort in actualizing this by communicating the decision of dedicating 0.5% of our GDP to Research and Development to the National Economic Council to come up with modalities in achieving this noble intention of Government.”
“As a government, we would intensify our efforts in drawing the National Economic Council’s attention to hasten this dream’s actualization to strengthen the Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Sector,” he declared.
