. Echono challenges Nigerian innovators
As the five-day TETFUND Research and Exhibition Fairs opens on Sunday at the Eagles Square in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Arc. Sonny Echono has challenged Nigerian inventors to come forward to showcase their talents with the possibility of being supported by the Fund and other anticipated investors.
Echono, in a chat with newsmen, clarified that the Fund fair is not for TETFUND-funded institutions alone.
“It is not limited to our beneficiary institutions. So, research institutes, private inventors, and digital creators, if you know you have done anything that will lead to the creation of jobs, the development of products and services, or the improvement of the lives of our people, come and showcase,” he said.
“We aim at ensuring that we harness all the potentials and all the achievements that have been recorded in the area of innovation and creativity,” the Executive Secretary added.
According to recent reports, Nigeria has one of the largest annual turn-out of PhD holders in Africa. Yet, the nation has not made so much progress in terms of inventions and innovations for industrialization and national development, despite the potentials available in regional and sub-regional markets.
With the number of universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria, it is time to turn the institutions to innovation centres and reduce dependence on, and importation of products and items that could be manufactured in Nigeria.
There is urgent need to strengthen the Naira by boosting the production of made-in-Nigeria products and creating employment for the populace, especially the youth.
The research in our institutions must therefore be targeted at products relevant to the local economy and also to local needs.
The research and exhibition fair, which will bring together, inventors, and creators to showcase their sellable projects and Sterling ideas, will take place at Eagle Square, Abuja.l starting from November 17.
