DG NACETEM Heads Committee On Commercialisation Of Research And Development Outputs In Nigeria

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Technology Management, Engineer Professor Okechukwu Ukwuoma was on Friday, 25th September, 2020 made the Chairman of Committee on Commercialisation of Research and Development outputs in Nigeria.

The Committee was inaugurated by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonaya Onu in Abuja. While setting up the committee, the Minister said the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is working on
plans to create the desired platform for the actualisation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s quest of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.

He said that the benefits of research could only be harvested when it is
fully commercialised, adding that the ministry will collaborate with the
organised private sector in that regard.

Onu said that the Ministry would strive hard to use its research outputs
as a catalyst for realising the government’s plans of lifting 100
million Nigerians out of poverty.

He said that research products from the 17 agencies under the ministry
covered all sectors of the economy and that the ministry was well
positioned to turn around the economy.

According to him, the commercialisation of research outputs is important
for economic growth as more goods will be indigenously produced.

He added that part of the expected benefits of research outputs included
food sufficiency and surplus for exports, leading to significant
reduction in import from other countries.

Onu said that the commercialisation of research outputs would create
more opportunities for Nigerians as well as reduce the employment
deficit in the country.

While expressing confidence in members of the committee, he urged them
to carry out the assignment diligently and make Nigeria proud.

In his remarks, Engr. Prof. Okechukwu Ukwuoma, Chairman of the committee said commercialisation of research outputs is key to the country’s developmental aspirations.

Ukwuoma said that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) of the
United Nations are hinged on technological innovations, stressing that
it is important Nigeria leverages on this in its desire for
self-sufficiency.

He assured that the committee would strive to achieve its mandate.