‘Why Nigeria’s technology growth is slow’

Minister seeks support for Omatek, other OEMs

The snail speed development that has bedeviled technology transformations in Nigeria has been linked to two major challenges, among several others.These challenges have retarded the country’s growth, especially in channeling efforts towards correcting the notion of a ‘Consumer nation’, Nigeria is known with.

According to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu, who identified lack of funding and poor coordination of research and development in the country as the two major challenges confronting the advancement of technology, noted that efforts must be channeled towards repositioning science and technology for economic growth.

Onu, who was on a facility tour of Omatek Ventures in Oregun, Lagos, on Monday, noted that no nation has ever been truly great in the world without science and technology, stressing that Nigeria should aspire to be a truly great nation in technology innovation in the world.

According to him, what is lacking is that over the years, Nigeria has not paid adequate attention to technology, especially indigenous ones.“No nation has ever succeeded by not looking inward. Every great nation has looked inward to patronise their locally-developed technological innovations and other products and as such, Nigeria is looking towards that direction as well towards encouraging patronage of locally-developed products. The earlier we do this, the better for us,” he said.

He noted that for many years, Nigeria has remained a mono-economy relying on oil as the major source of foreign exchange earnings, stressing that “the current administration is bent on leveraging Information and Communication Technology and Science and Technology (S&T) as an enabler of economic development and to diversify the economy.”

Delving more on the lack of funding and effective coordination as bane of technological development in Nigeria, the minister of Science and Technology, stressed that the current administration is keen on ensuring that it deepens research and development (R&D) that would unlock the nation’s economic prosperity through effective partnership with indigenous players in the Science and Technology industry.

According to him, no nation fund innovation and research from its budget, funding usually comes outside it. He stressed that in the USA, science and technology contributes 3.5 per cent to its GDP; in the European Union, it is 2.2 per cent and in Iran, the contribution is 1.2 per cent, “Nigeria’s science and technology contribution to GDP is still very low.”

Onu, while canvassing for more support for local productions, noted that the Federal Government would support developmental efforts Omatek is currently pushing.He said the ministry is seriously pushing the buy Made-in-Nigeria campaign, “already, that move has gone beyond just promises, the MDAs have been directed to start looking inward. Government is very serious about this. We need to look inward, especially in areas that we have strength. We should not export jobs by not patronizing Nigerian made products and services.”

Impressed by some of the innovations seen at the factory, especially the solar technology, Onu expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to work with Omatek, on its plan to reduce power consumption by households, businesses and government by 85 per cent through the use of solar powered technologies.

While conducting the minister, his entourage and other stakeholders on a tour of the different lines of production in the factory, the Group Managing Director of Omatek Ventures Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki, said while power generation and distribution have been a major issue in the country, leveraging solar power solutions would play a significant role in dealing with the issue of power vacuum in the country.

Seriki explained to Onu that the company has further expanded its investment in latest and modern solar factory in order to provide the assistance needed towards ensuring that the federal government delivers enduring power supply to Nigerians.

Explaining the readiness of Omatek to play a key role in the power provision for the country, Seriki demonstrated that the 50KVA three-phase off-grid solar solution commissioned earlier in its factory would provide a 24/7 power.

This, she said, will result in 85 per cent reduction in power consumption for factories, banks, telecoms firms, government and other organisations that require big solar power installations, while adding that its Lagos factory currently assembles locally the 12watts, 20 watts, 500 watts power solutions.

“The power solutions replace the ‘I-better-pass-my-neighbour generators’ for small homes, shops, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), churches, rural electrification and rural system, street lighting implementation, schools and for students, farmers among others,” she said, stressing that there was no reason for students to still be reading using lantern in the new digital age.

According to her, “Omatek is now more than ready to partner with the federal government to offer affordable power solutions to communities and rural areas as part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda of finding a lasting solution to the perennial power problems in the country.”