By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, said that innovation is at the heart of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda designed to kick out poverty from among Nigerians.
Nnaji said this on Tuesday, May 6 in Enugu while declaring open a two-day Techno-Expo (Technology Exposition/Show) organised by the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), under the Federal Miniatry of Innovation, Science and Technology.
The South-East Techno-Expo 2025, which is the first edition, is themed: ‘Nurturing Research and Development (R&D) Results and Innovation to Drive Nigeria’s Economic Growth Using Technology Incubation as a Tool’.
The Minister, who was represented by the Zonal Director, NBTI, South-East (Zone D), Dr Clarice Chijioke, noted that the Federal Government (FG) had prioritised innovation and technology in its five critical areas to pull Nigerians out of poverty and lack.
According to him, these areas included food and energy security, poverty eradication initiatives, economic growth, job creation, and financial inclusion and access to capital.
“To achieve these noble goals and intentions, Nigerians must foster and get involved in building innovation and technology ecosystem where ideas are generated, nurtured, incubated and showcased in the marketplace for Nigerians to use and better their lives.
“The Federal Government is challenging start-ups, scale-ups, inventors and innovators in the country, especially those in the South-East, to rise and seize the moment as the drive, resourcefulness and innate enterprising spirit is inbuilt in them,” he said.
Nnaji noted that the FG, through the Ministry, would continue to support brilliant and bright ideas by turning them into products and services to be utilised by Nigerians and for export.
Earlier, the Director-General (DG) of NBTI, Dr Kazeem Raji, in an address, said that NBTI remained steadfast in its mission to create enabling environments through well-equipped Technology Incubation Centres, strategic partnerships and forward-looking policies.
“We are ready to work with you to scale-up your ideas, to commercialise your innovations, and to co-create a new economic and prosperity realities for Nigeria.
“So, let us think boldly, act decisively and collaborate intentionally.
“Together, we can unlock the immense potential of Nigerian innovation and build a prosperous technology driven future for generations to come,” he added.
Also speaking, Rector, Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, Professor Gozie Ogbodo, commended NBTI in collaboration with a firm, Globetel Services Limited, for the initiative that sought to bridge the gap between research and industry knowledge and action.
Ogbodo noted that “technology incubation is the bridge that connects academic excellence to industrial relevance.”
He noted that the national pursuit of developmental agenda and initiatives can only be sustained and improved on through research and development.
In a goodwill message, South-East Director of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Martins Iluyomade, said that his agency would sustain its partnership with NBTI.
Iluyomade, represented by NAFDAC State Coordinator for Enugu State, Mr Collins Ogedegbe, appreciated NBTI for all it had done for start-ups, adding: “NAFDAC will continue its age-long partnership with the organisation and assist it to achieve its laudable mandate.”
The DG of Project Development Institute (PRODA), Dr Peter Ogbobe, who also spoke, said that his institue would continue to assist NBTI, adding: “We congratulate NBTI for this event, which is a milestone; and you can count on PRODA as a strong partner.”
Highlights of the event on the first day included: showcase of various inventions and innovations in NBTI centres in the South-East states as well as market-cum-export-ready products the NBTI Centres in the South-East had helped Nigerians to package.
