The Executive Vice Chairman, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure NASENI, Professor Mohammed Haruna says home initiated and sustained industrialization remains the key to achieving a sustainable economic recovery for Nigeria.
Professor Haruna who stated this during the NASENI Day at the ongoing Science Technology and Innovation Expo in Abuja the nation’s capital pointed out that such is the focus of NASENI, hence its approach to research and development is need-oriented.
“Everything you see here is directly applicable. You can use any program here to guarantee international marking and commercialisation, what we do is from the beginning, we partner with some private sectors who advise us on what is needed based on the market demand. We are researching and producing products that will solve existing problems. I assure you, several of these, there are off-takers for it, there are some private sectors who had an agreement with us to do mass production,“ Prof Haruna said.
He added that for Nigeria to sustain its economic growth, it needs to continuously invest generously in research and development in the areas of Science, Technology and Innovation.
“Science and Engineering Infrastructure drive all economics of the world. Our national economy will continue to be in the doldrums except we invest in Science and Engineering Infrastructure both in facilities and human capacity. Our manufacturing sector which out to be a major driver of our economy is suffering because of lack of engineering and other social-economic infrastructure.“
President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Engineer Mansur Ahmed represented by Managing Consultant, WeirCapacity, Mr Nyananso Gabriel Ekanem, who decry the financial gap in infrastructural development in Nigeria, said, the country needed to spend three trillion over the space of 30 years in order to bridge the country’s infrastructure gap.
“Significant financing from the private sector and multilateral funding are needed to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit. Nigeria is behind other emerging market peers and will require significant investments to bridge its infrastructure gap.”
The Chairman of the occasion, Kola Jamodu, said that NASENI has helped to boost Government efforts to industrialize Nigeria by availing resources for machine production and others required for mass production.
“NASENI is capable of delivering equipment that will meet international standards,” Jamodu said.
PIAK
