The Federal Government of Nigeria has made an appeal to the European Union to work more closely together in the realm of Science, Technology, and Innovation in order to develop more effective policies and coordination mechanisms that will enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in these areas.
This was made known in a statement released on Friday by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications at the National Space Research and Development Agency, Dr Felix Ale.
In a media statement on Thursday, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, reportedly made a request for increased cooperation with the European Union on Science, Technology, and Innovation policy during a visit by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS.
“To improve policy coordination, we welcome EU technical assistance for our Inter-ministerial Committee on Research and Innovation. Additionally, we seek support for conducting an STI indicators survey and a technology foresight programme to guide our scientific and industrial advancements,” the minister stated.
He placed a strong emphasis on the importance of increasing technology transfer and commercialization in order to ensure that valuable research findings are converted into viable commercial applications.
“Nigeria seeks to strengthen technology transfer and commercialization, ensuring that research is translated into industrial applications. We also aim for greater inclusion of our public research institutes in EU funding programmes to foster knowledge exchange and innovation,” Nnaji said.
The minister further highlighted the importance of the existing bilateral agreement on Science, Technology, and Innovation between Nigeria and the EU.
“The existing bilateral agreement on Science, Technology, and Innovation provides a structured framework for cooperation. We seek to enhance its implementation to promote joint research, knowledge-sharing, and investment in priority technological areas,” he noted.
