The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has said the Federal Government has approved a 13-year National Science, Technology and Innovation Road Map to transform Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.
The minister stated that the NSTIR would cover 2017 to 2030, noting that the Federal Executive Council gave the approval for the plan to help the economic diversification process, “especially in the emerging post-crude oil global economy.”
Onu said this in Abuja in a lecture at the National Defence College titled, ‘National self-reliance through science, technology and innovation’ to Course 26 participants, according to a statement by the college on Tuesday.
The minister noted that a challenge facing the country was to initiate “bold and visionary policies that would help to move the economy in the direction of diversification, so that we can absorb the shock and trauma of recession.”
Onu said, “The government has articulated and presented the National Science, Technology and Innovation Road map 2017-2030. This was approved by the Federal Executive Council and designed to move the country away from a resource-based to a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy that will help drive Nigeria’s economic diversification process.
“The road map is set out in the short-term to help achieve the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of 2017 to 2020, which stated clearly that science and technology would be effectively harnessed to drive national competitiveness, productivity and economic activities in all sectors.”
The Commandant, NDC, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo, said Nigeria could not continue to depend on other countries to meet its technological needs, noting that there must be deliberate and concerted efforts to embrace science, technology and innovation.
