The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said that Nigeria has made tremendous breakthrough in import reduction, by cumulatively saving N5.03 Trillion from 2017 to 2020.
The Minister made the statement today, at the closing ceremony of the STI EXPO 2022 in Abuja. The Minister made the quote based on the data by the United Nations Harmonised System Code and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Dr. Onu said that due to advancement in STI, the nation has become a home for start-ups, as technology has been transferred to many of the nation’s MSME’S (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises).
He said; “Nigeria has become a home of start-ups. Using one of our agencies, the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), which has branches in all the States of the Federation, technologies developed locally are transferred to many of our entrepreneurs. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are springing up in many parts of the country.”
He added that in the past six years, the country has made significant breakthrough in providing remedy to major diseases in form of drugs and medicine derived from our indigenous natural ingredients. He further said the country has made a lot of progress in the development of new drugs and they are at different levels of certification including clinical trials.
In the areas of agriculture and food security, Dr. Onu said that the countries efforts are highly commendable. He added that through research and innovation, efforts are ongoing to provide food security as well as agro raw materials for our industries.
The Minister said that Nigerian youths have been encouraged to actively participate in the STI sub sector through studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
On gender balance and sensitivity, He said; “We embarked on gender sensitive programmes to make STI inclusive, so as to improve the participation of girls and women in scientific research and innovation activities.”
Earlier, in a goodwill message the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said STI has been helpful in the production of solar panels to provide electricity to rural primary health care centres.
He added that inter-ministerial cooperation is needed to achieve meaningful breakthrough in the delivery of healthcare services to Nigerians.
Meanwhile at the closing ceremony, awards of different categories are highlighted below;
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
TERTIARY INSTITUTION.
- MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, UMUDIKE
PROJECT- NIANTI-VIRAL, ANTI-TUMOR AND ADJUVANT EFFICACIES OF MEDICINAL SYNTHETIC ALUMINIUM-MAGNESIUM SILICATE- 1ST - LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSHO, OYO STATE- PROJECT- SMART FISHERY SYSTEM- 2ND
- UNIVERSITY OF JOS- PROJECT- ACIMMUNE TEA- 3RD
RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
- RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL- PROJECT- PILOT PLANT FOR PRODUCTION OF HYDRATED LIME (QUICKLIME)- 1ST
- NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, ZARIA-PROJECT- PRODUCTION OF SUSTAINABLE CONSUMER AND HEALTH CARE PRODUCT/ REACTOR (SEMI AUTOMATED)- 2ND
- NIGERIAN BUILDING AND ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE- PROJECT- NBRRI REMOVABLE ONE-STOREY BUILDING USING INTERLOCKING BLOCKS- 2ND
- NIGERIAN AIR FORCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE- PROJECT- ROCKET LAUNCHERS- 3RD
STATE MINISTRIES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- IMO STATE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY- PROJECT- SOLAR INVERTER- 1ST
- EDO STATE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY- PROJECT- LIGHT WEIGHT UTILITY TRUCK- 2ND
- GOMBE STATE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY- PROJECT- WATER STOVE- 3RD
TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURS
- HAJNABY VENTURES LTD / BINTA FATIMA IBRAHIM, TIC KADUNA- PROJECT- BAOBAB OIL- 1ST
- TIC KADUNA ASMA BEGUM MIRZA – PROJECT- BASMATIC RICE- 2ND
- SUCCESS IKPONWOSA- PROJECT- BLOCKCHAIN BASED E-PROCUREMENT TECHNOLOGY- 3RD
JETS
- REDSTARS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, RUNDE JALINGO TARABA STATE. – PROJECT- STOMALARIN (A3 IN 1 APPROACH)- 1ST
- GOVERNMENT SCIENCE AND TECH COLLEGE GARKI, ABUJA- PROJECT- PRODUCTION OF REUSABLE SANITARY PADS FROM WASTE BANANA TRUNK – 2ND
- GOVERNMENT DAY SECONDARY SCHOOL, GWAGWALADA, ABUJA PROJECT- MULTI-PURPOSE AUTOMATIC SPRING- 3RD
