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The Nigerian authorities has taken important steps to spice up its science, know-how and innovation by a sturdy partnership with the European Union (EU) geared toward strengthening funding in analysis and growth for mutual advantages.
This was the main target of a high-level assembly between Nigeria, led by the Minister of Innovation Science and Know-how, Uche Nnaji and the EU delegation led by EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS Samuela Isopi in Abuja on Thursday.
Nnaji buttressed the truth that innovation and analysis are key to progress, including that the Ministry is dedicated to fostering joint analysis facilities in areas like renewable power and climate-smart agriculture.
He mentioned “by leveraging the experience and assets of our European companions, we intention to drive technological developments and tackle shared regional challenges. Moreover, we’re eager to collaborate on establishing innovation hubs to assist startups and SMEs in fields like synthetic intelligence.
“Our Ministry will concentrate on constructing capability, enhancing analysis infrastructure, and fostering collaborations with European analysis establishments. By leveraging our strengths in renewable power, biotechnology, and area analysis, we are able to drive important developments benefiting each Nigeria and the European Union.
“The Erasmus and Horizon programmes improve academic and analysis exchanges between Nigeria and Europe. We’re dedicated to growing Nigerian participation in these programmes by streamlining the applying course of and offering devoted assist. It will allow extra of our abilities to entry these beneficial alternatives,” he mentioned.
This collaboration might discover the proper floor throughout the upcoming EU Innovation Discussion board in Lagos between eighth and ninth of July, 2024, the place Nigerian and European innovators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers will change concepts and discover synergies.
In accordance with the Head of the EU delegation, Isopi, the bilateral settlement between EU and Nigeria is a milestone and the negotiation is essential as a result of science, know-how and innovation are key to the event of key sectors corresponding to power, agriculture and meals safety.
She expressed EU’s readiness to assist Nigeria to spice up analysis and innovation, stressing that the EU- Nigeria innovation base that can happen in Lagos will supply alternatives for Nigerian analysis establishments to faucet into the EU analysis system for mutual advantages.
Everlasting Secretary of the Ministry of Innovation Science and Know-how, Mrs. Esuabana Nko-Asanye in her remarks, appealed to the EU to supply coaching for Nigerian scientific and technological officers to enhance their stage of talent in Science, Know-how and innovation which can place Nigeria within the STI panorama.
There are not any doubts about Nigeria’s quest to enhance innovation in science and know-how to drive the industrialization course of for a aggressive economic system, however the nation should spend money on analysis and growth (R&D) parts.
In Nigeria, and most of sub-Saharan Africa, dedication to R&D by way of the share of the GDP may be very low. Hardly has any nation in Africa dedicated as much as 1% of its GDP to R&D. Nigeria is struggling to implement 0.5% far under the African normal of 1% of GDP.
This problem is because of the paucity of funds, which is why the Nigerian authorities should leverage its partnership to attract the requisite funds from the EU and different companions.
Nigeria should additionally develop a scientific coverage and maybe concrete laws for analysis and technological growth (RTD) harking back to European laws.
The Horizon Europe, the present EU analysis and innovation programme, was launched in 2021 for the interval 2021-2027 as a key software for Europe’s 2021 world method to analysis and innovation, which goals to assist an R&I surroundings primarily based on guidelines and values, and to make sure reciprocity and a stage enjoying subject throughout all areas of cooperation.
Equally, the long-term people-centered AU Agenda 2063, acknowledges the important position of science, know-how and innovation, as “common enablers for addressing poverty and inequalities; illnesses; local weather change affect; meals and vitamin safety, digitization, well being; illness prevention, environmental conservation, migration.”
Additionally the Financial Group of West African States (ECOWAS) has made dedication to STI by Article 27 of the Constitution on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the Directive (A/DIR.1/06/12) on Science, Know-how and Innovation and the Supplementary Act (A/SA.2/06/12) adopting the ECOWAS Coverage on Science, Know-how and Innovation (ECOPOST).
Nonetheless, these articles and protocols in Africa haven’t yielded the specified outcomes. It’s due to this fact incumbent on the continent to overview these paperwork the place essential and provide you with a extra prioritized coverage route.
There also needs to be a considerable enhance in whole analysis spending in Nigeria and member states of African Union (AU) to take care of and strengthen worldwide competitiveness of African merchandise. That is how Nigeria and different African international locations can launch the continent into a world summit of science know-how and innovation.