2024 Expo: NABDA D-G Urges More Investment In Indigenous Technologies

The Director-General National Biotechnology Development Agency NADBA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, has called on the organised private sector to invest in the production and commercialisation of indigenous technologies to improve the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja, Mustapha made the call ahead of the upcoming 2024 Technology and Innovation Expo which would hold in Abuja from March 11 to 15.

The Director-General urged Nigerian investors to refrain from not just buying foreign technologies, but to also endeavour to visit the expo ground and sample indigenous technologies that would be on display.

Also Read: NABDA advocates Genetically Modified Foods To Enhance National Food Security

“We have good technologies produced indigenously, that is why we are promoting same for the investors to come and invest heavily,’’ he said.

Mustapha expressed the agency’s readiness to showcase its break through researches at the expo.

“I use this opportunity to call on Nigerians to come to the expo ground and witness for themselves our researches which are of international standard.

“We are looking at how the temperature will be because we intend to showcase some calves we had been breeding, and their capacity to produce more milk,’’ he said.

According to him, NABDA will also display the newly commercialised genetically modified maize, Tela maize, biotech (Bt) cowpea(beans), their optimised bio- digesters as well as covid-19 test kits, all products of research.

He added that the expo would avail the agency the opportunity to showcase its improved fisheries which would come in a band well decorated to carry different types of fish that were being bred.

“Nigerians will have opportunity to see the kind of works that we are doing in terms of fisheries.

“We decided to also focus our attention on animals and fisheries because they are part of food and nutrition security, which align with this administration’s agenda.

“That is specifically why we are promoting what we are doing to make sure that we achieve the goals of the Federal Government,” Mustapha said.