The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) have agreed to collaborate in the area of using technology to drive the development of Nigeria.
Acting President, AUST Professor Azikiwe Onwualu, who also doubles as President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), stated this while speaking with reporters in Abuja after meeting with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
Professor Onwualu said the discussion bothered on how the university can partner with the ministry towards using technology to drive the development of Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.
He said he came to brief the Minister on the progress on building the capacity of national research funding (NRF) agencies in West Africa.
The Guardian reports that the project which is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada is implemented by African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), Nairobi, Kenya in collaboration with AUST, will see to the emergence of sustainable NRF agencies in six West African countries including Nigeria.
With additional support from donor agencies, researchers and innovators within these countries will have more access to funds and other resources for using technology to provide solutions in infrastructure, power, security, water, housing, transportation, entertainment, healthcare, commerce, manufacturing, finance, education and other economic sectors.
The AUST Acting President called for collaboration with the Ministry in the areas of capacity building, technical advisory services, policy formulation and implementation.
His words: “We feel that collaborating with the ministry will enable us achieve our target more than what we can do alone. Within the university and beyond the academic programmes that we have the university also has an innovation hub where we try to encourage startups.
“These startups are where young Nigerians and other Africans work to come up with new ideas, especially those driven by Science and Technology; new ideas that can solve problems.”
