FIIRO pledges to strengthen public private partnership for industrialisation

Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) on Wednesday said it was committed to strengthening public private partnership to advance industrialisation in the country through its researches.

Dr Gloria Elemo, the Director-General l of Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) made the commitment at the ongoing Technology and Innovation Expo 2017 in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the FIIRO was holding its day at exhibition venue.

“The government has plans to improve Public Private Partnership to ensure Nigeria actualises self-reliance through industrialisation.

According to her, there is need for Nigerians to be aware of national capacities in producing goods and services that the citizens require to reduce poverty, importation and strengthen the country’s currency.

She said that efforts were being made to identify indigenous technical capacity to produce processing machinery and equipment to enhance commercialisation.

Elemo said that there was need to stimulate economic growth through indigenous fabrication technology capability and to create awareness.

She said that the aim of the meeting was to bring together 50 indigenous fabricators for the purpose of accreditation as national fabricators.

“The benefits of being national fabricator are enormous; it include local and international recognition by financial and development institutions as a major players.

“Also in processing machinery manufacturing in Nigeria as well as recognition and direct funding by development and commercial banks in Nigeria and abroad,“ she said.

The D-G noted that the meeting would provide opportunities for indigenous technologies developers to showcase their innovative technologies for national economic development.

Prof. Willie Siyanbola, the former General-Director, National Center for Technology Management (NACETEM), said that there was need to address legislation and regulation of equipment fabrication in the country.

Siyanbola, who spoke on “Stimulating Commercialisation and Indigenous Technologies: The Role of Indigenous Fabricators and their Fabricated Machineries and Equipment“, said there was need for standardisation, certification and warranties of the locally made products.

He said that there was also need to address reverse engineering, financing small and medium enterprises and promotion of locally fabricated equipment.

He said that other challenges confronting locally fabricated equipment were market access, specialisation, training and certification of indigenous fabricators in the country.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu expressed enthusiasm over the resourcefulness of made in Nigeria models being displayed for exhibition.

He promised that the ministry would intensify effort to ensure that commercialisation of made in Nigeria prototypes increased in the country.