The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said the Federal Government has supported the growth and sustainable development of 1,221 technology start-ups physically domiciled in the ministry’s technology incubation centres.
He made this known in Abuja when he received the report of the Technical Committee on Job Creation in Nigeria – FMST Contribution, saying the technology start-ups included firms involved in food processing, auto-spare parts’ production, agricultural machinery, software development, pharmaceuticals and various feats of engineering.
Onu said the research and innovation efforts of the ministry had been beneficial to the establishment of many micro, small, medium and large scale enterprises (MSMLE’s) in the country.
“The initiative to lift 100 million Nigerians, mostly young people out of poverty in the next 10 years will rely on the outcome of research and development in science, technology and innovation,” he pointed out.
He added: “Science, technology and innovation are undoubtedly the key drivers of economic growth, social harmony and peace. The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, in recognition of this, has consistently worked to deploy science, technology and innovation to drive development and create massive jobs in all sectors of the economy”.
The minister further said the committee’s report detailed the programmes and projects of the ministry, which had created sustainable development for Nigeria, especially in the area of biotechnology, space exploration and food processing.
“I am confident that these research and development results, inventions and innovations of Nigerian scientists and engineers are significantly contributing to the job creation agenda of the Federal Government,” he added . Earlier, the chairman of the technical committee on job creation in Nigeria, Dr. Ekanem J. Udoh, said the report would reflect the place of science, technology and innovation (STI) in wealth and job creation for the country.
He also said the Ministry of Science and Technology should be at the forefront of the nation’s socio-economic development.
