The Federal Government has approved the change of name of Ministry of Science and Technology to the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in a bid to reposition it to drive its innovation agenda and catalyse the country’s economic growth.
The name change was announced today (August 6) by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu at a world press conference in Abuja.
“This change of name will help meet the needs of other sectors of the Nigerian economy and all stakeholders, by supporting the generation and application of knowledge and innovation to solve socio-economic challenges, as well as providing a policy and funding environment that will establish the national system of innovation (NSI),” he said.
Onu identified Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) as the engine that would drive the country on the road to success, prosperity, self-reliance and greatness.
He further said the repositioning of the ministry would result in research and development (R&D) that would be industry and services demand-driven and lead to rapid commercialisation and ultimately improve Nigeria’s competitiveness ranking.
To move the country to its desired global competitiveness level, the minister said STI would help accelerate a demand-driven, knowledge-based economy.
On promoting commercialisation of R&D results, he said “when we succeed, it will lead to R&D breakthroughs and inventions that could be commercialised. With the right policy and legal framework to protect intellectual property, we can effectively promote commercialization in all activity sectors in the value chain for supply of raw materials, goods and services”.
A statement by the ministry’s head of press and public relations, Mrs. Josephine Ademu, said the benefits of the name change and repositioning of the ministry included irreversible indigenous industrialisation; creation of platform for higher productivity; job creation and quality employment generation in the economy and significant level of poverty alleviation, among others.
