…Calls for Private Sector Support Towards R&D
The Minister of Innovation, Science & Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji has commissioned the seventh NOTAP/PZ upgraded chemistry laboratory at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State.
Represented by director-general of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, the minister highlighted the strategic partnership between NOTAP and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. aimed at bolstering technology acquisition and research in Nigeria.
During the ceremony, Amadiobi emphasized that NOTAP’s monitoring exercises revealed significant inadequacies and a disconnect between industries and the National Innovation System (NIS). This gap led to a lack of confidence in the research capabilities of Nigerian graduates by industries, resulting in the underutilisation of indigenous research and development (R&D) outcomes within the country’s industries.
Nnaji noted that to address these challenges, NOTAP introduced the NOTAP-Industry Partnership Initiative in 2009, comprising various schemes designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry. One such scheme involves upgrading research laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment to foster sound research infrastructure capable of producing reliable and viable R&D results.
The minister commended PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc for its role as a strategic partner in this initiative, which has already upgraded laboratories in five institutions: Modibo Adama University of Technology, Yola; National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria; University of Calabar; Alex Ekwueme University of Technology, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (FUTA), Bauchi as one of the recent beneficiaries, marks the first institution in the South West geopolitical zone to receive such upgrades, with PZ Cussons investing N100 million naira per laboratory.
Nnaji called on other private sector organizations to emulate PZ Cussons’ commitment to strengthening R&D activities for wealth and job creation. He promised that the ministry, through NOTAP, would legally reciprocate support from such private sector entities.
Amadiobi, represented by Mrs. Yejide Akinkunmi, Director of the Consultancy Services Department of NOTAP, lamented that over 90 per cent of the technologies powering the Nigerian economy were foreign due to weak research infrastructure in local institutions. This situation necessitates an urgent upgrade of research laboratories to enhance the country’s capacity to generate commercialisable R&D results.
She noted that the NOTAP-Industry Research Laboratory Upgrade Project (NIRLUP), initiated in 2014, aims to address research infrastructure challenges through voluntary industry partnerships. PZ Cussons has been a consistent partner, investing N115 million naira in the first tranche, N100 million naira in the second tranche, and N500 million naira in the third tranche to upgrade chemical and chemistry laboratories in universities and research institutes across Nigeria.
Amadiobi expressed gratitude to the former CEO of PZ Cussons, Mr. Christos Giannopoulos, for his belief in the partnership, and the current CEO, Mr. Dimitris Kostianis, for sustaining it.
In his speech, Kostianis, represented by director of supply chain at PZ Cussons, Engr. Ifeanyichukwu Abadom reiterated the company’s longstanding commitment to Nigeria. He highlighted that PZ Cussons has partnered with NOTAP to enhance the acquisition and promotion of technology, facilitating the domestication of foreign technology. The company has established strong linkages between academic research centers and industry, which is crucial for advancing technological progress.
Kostianis revealed that PZ Cussons has upgraded six laboratories nationwide, with three more awaiting commissioning. This collaboration between industry and academia is essential for meaningful technological advancement in society.
Vice-chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, represented by deputy vice-chancellor (academic), Prof. Timothy Amos expressed profound appreciation to NOTAP and PZ Cussons for their donation. She emphasised that the equipment would significantly enhance the research infrastructure of the institution and assured optimal utilisation and maintenance for the benefit of FUTA’s researchers.
The equipment donated to FUTA through the NOTAP/PZ partnership represents a pioneering effort in the upgrade of chemistry and chemical laboratories across Nigeria. This initiative underscores the critical role of private sector support in advancing R&D, fostering innovation, and ultimately driving economic growth and development in the country.
