FG To Partner Kano On STI Development

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, said the Federal Government would forge a strategic alliance with Kano State Government for the development of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

This is contained in a statement by Josephine Ademu, Press and Public Relations Officer of the ministry on Tuesday in Abuja.

Onu said this during a working visit to the Bayero University Kano (BUK) on Monday in Kano.

He said the alliance which would enable critical stakeholders in the development of STI in the state, shall also birth effective coordination.

The Minister said such coordination would enable tertiary academic research institutes to engage the Organised Private Sector (OPS) in the development of abundant agricultural, mineral and human resources in the state.

He assured that his ministry would work closely with the Kano State Government to harness the power of STI in harvesting the abundant resources of the state for the benefit of all.

The benefits of the strategic alliance, he said, would ensure that scientific research findings in Nigerian laboratories can easily be converted into products and services.

On the recent change of name of the ministry to include innovation, Onu said the ministry was better positioned as the custodian of innovation development in Nigeria.

He further disclosed that Kano was selected as the Headquarters of the Technology and Innovation Centre for Global Competitiveness (TICGCOM) in the North-West Zone of the country.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sagir Abbas enumerated the giant strides of the University in areas of research and innovations.

Abbas reiterated their commitment to partner with the ministry to achieve the objective of advancing the country technologically.

Also, the Project Manager, Global Competitiveness and Strategy, Henry Eteama said that effort was ongoing to ensure that scientific research results remained not only academic but industry-driven.