In alignment with the Nigerian government’s intensified focus on economic development, the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has vowed to advance technology research and innovation towards commercialisation.
Dr. Uchenna Chukwu, the Director-General of NBTI, made this declaration on Tuesday during a one-day workshop titled “Technology Sourcing and Joint Research Commercialisation Effort with Academia and Industry” in Abuja.
Chukwu highlighted NBTI’s dedication to providing logistical support for the commercialisation of innovative technologies, aligning with its mandate, and fostering economic progress.
She restated the workshop’s significance in elevating the nation’s technology research and innovation, in line with the Federal Government’s agenda for accelerated economic development.
This workshop underscores the desire of the government to bring about massive development through the promotion of research and development, skill acquisition and small-scale enterprise development. It is one of the strategies to further engender the benefit of science and technology in our dear country,’’ stated the director-general.
The workshop aims to bridge government, academia, and industry to generate value-added technological solutions, foster sustainable socio-economic development and implement economic sustainability policies.
Chukwu emphasised the importance of researching and commercialising market-driven technologies, drawing parallels with the German market, to propel Nigeria towards technological advancement and robust economic growth.
Recalling the establishment of NBTI by the Federal Government of Nigeria to expedite the incubation of technologists for commercialisation, Chukwu assured stakeholders of NBTI’s commitment to its mandate.
She further highlighted the success of the Technology Incubation Programme (TIP) in nurturing numerous startups and fledgling companies, many of which have evolved into profitable ventures. However, she emphasised the need for further strides to enhance Nigeria’s economic landscape and foster entrepreneurship, a goal advanced through TIPs.
She concluded by appealing to state governments to collaborate with incubation centres in their respective states to collectively propel the Nigerian economy forward.