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From Uche Usim, Abuja
Government agencies, research experts and corporate bodies are pushing for the full commercialisation of science and technology products produced by Nigerians.
The push was amplified at the breakout session on Commercialisation of Science and Technology Products organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology at the just -Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja recently.
According to them, the Federal Government must insist on increasing local contents in all facets of the nation’s economy, as Nigeria boasts of thousands of creative minds who remain unknown due to the absence of strong platforms on which they could showcase their talents.
In his remarks at the event, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, said the country has a standard national framework for commercialisation, backed up by strong legislation and a robust machinery for research and development.
Iwu, a professor of Pharmacy, also lamented that research institutes in Nigeria were in low states operationally, stressing that adequate funding and the creation of a nexus between researchers and commercial experts remain key if the country must wean herself from over-dependence on foreign skills.
Iwu noted that researches in developed climes were mainly private sector driven and adequately funded by both individuals and government agencies.
He said: “You don’t commercialise researches and discoveries. The only thing you commercialise is inventions and products. Countries give investors grants and incentives to encourage them to use local products. They also back them up such that if anything goes wrong, they will stand by them. That is how you strengthen local hands. They need patronage and encouragement to invent laudable products to improve the economy.
“In Nigeria, the World Intellectual Property Organisation used us (my research firm) as a case study. How you can convert indigenous researches into products? That was their desire. They were seeing weaknesses here in Nigeria.
“For me, universities should not commercialise anything. All their researches should be made known and then transfer the technology to the commercial sector who does the marketing aspect.
