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NOTAP DG raises alarm over Nigeria’s slow technological development
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National
Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. D. M.
Ibrahim, has lamented the slow pace of technological development in
the country, revealing that over 90 per cent of the technologies that
power Nigeria are imported.
The Director General made this observation at the commissioning of the
Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) at the
University of Ilorin and the training of the institutions’ staff on
creation, management and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
According to Dr. Ibrahim, NOTAP, which is a parastatal under the
Ministry of Science and Technology, has a vision to move Nigeria from
the periphery to the dominant centre of global industrial power
structure within the shortest possible time and make her a major
global powerhouse of the 21st Century through an efficient Technology
Acquisition Strategy and a vibrant innovation.
He explained further that NOTAP’s goal is “to ensure the acceleration
of Nigeria’s drive towards a rapid technological revolution by an
efficient acquisition/absorption of foreign technology and a concerted
development of indigenous technological capability through a proactive
promotion of innovation and commercialisation of technology”.
Dr. Ibrahim noted that the programme, which started in 2006, has
established 38 Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Offices
(IPTTOs) in universities, polytechnics and research institutions in
Nigeria to promote interaction and strengthen the linkage between
university/research institutions and industries.
He added that Nigeria cannot fold its arms anymore, warning that
Nigeria would remain a consumer nation unless there are human capacity
development and transfer of technology.
Dr. Ibrahim said, “Unless we appreciate the power of intellectual
property, we cannot move the nation forward. With the establishment of
this office here, people can have access to information on the
protection of their intellectual property. Any innovation that can
transit into products in the society is protected”.
He stated further that the reason behind the establishments of IPTTOs
in higher institutions is because technologies are manufactured there.
He expressed profound gratitude to the management of the University of
Ilorin for their warm reception.
The Director General disclosed that NOTAP has saved the country over
N88.2 billion of capital flight because it considers the legal,
economic perspectives and human capacity development opportunities for
Nigerians before approving technical support from the foreign
counterparts.
He thereafter commissioned the Unilorin IPTTO building and presented
some of NOTAP publications to the Vice-Chancellor.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu
Ambali, while welcoming the NOTAP team, commended the Agency’s effort
as an agency to ensure that there is synergy among institutions,
consumers, entrepreneurs.
Speaking through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services),
Prof. Y. A. Abdulkareem, the Vice-Chancellor told the Director General
that the University has a Laboratory to Product Unit, an
entrepreneurship centre and a Central Research Laboratory.
Prof. Ambali disclosed that the University also has a Deputy
Vice-Chancellor in charge of research, technology and innovation as a
demonstration of its commitment to innovation and technological
advancement.
“We are very appreciative to have an IPTTO office here and we assure
you that the University of Ilorin will be a good partner in progress”,
the Vice-Chancellor said.
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