The Nigerian government has reiterated its commitment to assisting researchers and Inventors in protecting their Research and Development results for the socio-economic growth of the Nation.
The Minister of Innovation Science and Technology Uche Nnaji made the commitment in Abuja Nigeria’s capital at the presentation of the Patents certificate to researchers and Innovators.
The Minister who noted that the speedy industrialization of Nigeria and its economic growth depends largely on the efforts of the researchers also urged them to ensure that their Patents translate into products and services.
“Let me also congratulate the recipient of these certificates facilitated by NOTAP. I equally wish to emphasize that this is just the first step towards reaping the economic benefit of your inventions. The nation can only derive maximum benefit from your efforts, if your patents translate into products/services for economic growth,” he said.
Nnaji appreciated the Patent and Design Registry of the Federal Ministry of Industry. Trade and Investment for the synergy and cooperation with NOTAP towards the actualisation of the patent registration for the researchers and Innovators.
The Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion NOTAP Dr Dan-Azumi Ibrahim said the latest batch of 18 researchers and Innovators receiving patents for their inventions at zero cost is in addition to the earlier 322 that have so far benefitted from the agency.
In his farewell address as the DG of NOTAP after eight years of tenure, Dr Ibrahim revealed how most policies of the agency are geared towards linking the industries to the universities for utmost productivity impacting the economic growth of Nigeria.
“Private Sectors are here to make money. And you should not be under any illusion that they will care for you first. So as regulators, we see opportunities and we equally feel responsible. Whatever they reap from the system, they need to send something back into the system so that the system grows. So as regulators, we went into partnership with the industries, not to strangulate them, but to use a carrot-and-stick approach. Yes, We give them incentives but we also expect them to pay back into the system, and I’m happy they are responding. What is important is that all your systems must be transparent. If you are doing it in the interest of the country, the private sector is ready to key him, but when they realize your interest is personal, then the whole thing is defeated. So we have evolved the partnerships between NOTAP and industries. And all these partnerships are geared towards improving the economic development of our country,” he said.
The DG mentions such partnerships as building capacities where the private sector sponsors R&D in Universities and intervenes before intellectual property translates into products and services amongst others.
“Last week NOTAP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PZ Cussons Nigeria Limited to equip 10 laboratories. So it’s an opportunity for us to call on other industries to key in so that we will begin to see their impacts on the Universities.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Prof Aliyu Shugaba stressed that most industries in Nigeria are not doing so well calling for the need to come forward to universities for more research to improve their products and services.
“The problem is that they don’t want to come and discuss their problem with the researchers in the University because research is something that makes you spend money. But one thing they forget is that you have to spend money to get more money,“ he said.
Representing the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi FIIRO, which carted away three (3) patents for their research, the IPTTO Co-ordinator of the Institute, Olufolake Davies said that FIIRO has a total of thirty (30) patents so far.
“For today, they are isotonic sports drinks, an automation system for kunu zaki production and the other one on African yam bean production.
“One thing you have to realize is that not every patent leads to commercial success, but the few that have been successful are making waves. We have MoUs with many organizations and higher institutions and then we transfer technology to small and medium entrepreneurs all year round. That is something we are known for, we are over sixty years old you know?” She said.
