The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) initiatives, strategies and policies have a widely recognised potential to promote the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
However, such initiatives face a growing number of challenges in most West African countries. The successful implementation of STI policy has a very important role in the prosperity of any nation. Recent benchmarking of some emerging economies such as Brazil, India, China, South Korea and South Africa in the global market cannot be overemphasised. Their experiences of implementing successful STI policies indicated that the acquisition, adaptation, and absorption of technical know-how, along with the strengthening of their local technological capabilities, have contributed most to their rapid economic and industrial growth.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy of each nation can be placed on different perspectives. Therefore, having a framework may not be a necessary factor for the implementation of STI policies, but it can help the policy-makers to make their proper decisions towards turning those policies more operational and feasible. It can also be noted that the state has played a major role in designing and formulating national STI policies for the country.
In furtherance of the efforts of the present administration on the use of STI as a catalyst for economic growth, the president has approved the renaming of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology as the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation. The revised National Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) which was passed in 2022 by the president is highly commendable and will not only serve as a principal document for the full diversification of the Nigerian economy but as a lasting legacy to both present and future generations of Nigerians for the promotion of a knowledge economy.
Recently, Nigeria STI Television (NSTI TV) was unveiled and launched by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Sen. Adeleke Mamora as a further impetus for extensive advocacy to inculcate science, technology and innovation as part of everyday life in the country.
The NSTI TV initiative is a veritable platform to inform, educate and entertain as well as publicise scientific discoveries, inventions, and achievements of the various parastatals under the ministry for the benefit of the common man. The vision of the station is to ensure the effective dissemination of information on scientific and technological innovations in the sector. The station is expected to provide the avenue for professional and excellent dissemination of various activities of parastatals in the ministry, as well as research and scientific institutions in the country.
The ministry is committed to supporting science, technology, and innovation to foster sustainable economic growth, job creation, and enhanced well-being, noting that achieving these goals will require adequate investment and policy and regulatory environments that support strong and well-connected global science and innovation systems, and which also enable creativity and innovation throughout the economy and society. The ministry recognises that changes in science and innovation systems, influenced by digitisation and globalisation, require that our national and international policy agendas and instruments must be updated.
The ministry’s management agrees that science, technology, and innovation are being revolutionised by the rapid evolution of digital technologies, which are changing the way scientists work, collaborate and publish; increasing the reliance on access to scientific data and publications; which UNESCO has recognised as “open science”; opening new avenues for public engagement and participation in science and innovation “citizen science”; facilitating the development of research co-operation between businesses and the public sector; contributing to the transformation of how innovation occurs “open innovation”.
The establishment of the NSTI TV is a significant milestone in Nigeria’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’s commitment to promoting and disseminating information on scientific and technological innovations in the country. The vision of the NSTI TV is to provide a platform for professional and excellent dissemination of various activities of parastatals in the ministry, as well as research and scientific institutions in the country. With a focus on science, technology and innovation, the station aims to cover a wide range of topics, including engineering, health and medicine, natural science, environment and wildlife, children’s curiosity, science and society, agriculture, innovations, scientific heritage, science policy and more.
The ministry is committed to supporting science, technology and innovation to foster sustainable economic growth, job creation, and enhanced wellbeing. However, achieving these goals requires adequate investment, policy and regulatory environments that support strong and well-connected global science and innovation systems, and which also enable creativity and innovation throughout the economy and society. The rapid evolution of digital technologies is changing the way scientists work, collaborate and publish, increasing the reliance on access to scientific data and publications. As such, the Ministry recognizes the importance of keeping up with changes in science and innovation systems and updating national and international policy agendas and instruments accordingly.
The ministry’s leadership is adopting a collaborative approach to leverage challenges for good use, which has earned them praise and stakeholders have described them as the ‘Minister with the Midas Touch’.
Under the leadership of Mamora, the agencies and parastatals under the ministry have exceeded expectations, translating into a continual increase in contributions to the nation’s GDP, despite the post-pandemic effect on the global economy. The minister has repeatedly emphasised the importance of utilising research innovations and outputs to achieve economic diversification in the country.
Furthermore, the ministry has developed an indelible and robust television that is terrestrial, satellite, and internet-based science over-the-top (OTT) TV channel dedicated to science and technology knowledge dissemination, with a strong commitment to spreading scientific awareness, especially with Nigerian perspectives, ethos and cultural milieu. The establishment of the NSTI TV during the Science and Technology Expo 2022, followed by the successful siting and building of a temporary studio within the premises of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) for infotainment and informatics, is a testament to the ministry’s commitment to promoting science, technology, and innovation in the country.
In conclusion, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’s commitment to promoting and disseminating information on scientific and technological innovations in the country through the establishment of the NSTI TV is a significant milestone. With a focus on science, technology and innovation, the NSTI TV aims to cover a wide range of topics and provide a platform for professional and excellent dissemination of various activities of parastatals in the ministry, as well as research and scientific institutions in the country.
The ministry’s leadership is adopting a collaborative approach to leverage challenges for good use, which has earned them praise, and the agencies and parastatals under the ministry have exceeded expectations, translating into a continual increase in contributions to the nation’s GDP.
Oghuma is the senior technical assistant to the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. He can be reached on apooghuma@gmail.com.
