In a bid to bridge identified gaps in Nigeria’s quest for socio-economic development through rapid technological growth, innovation, and research, four Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote the culture of research, science, technology, and engineering for the overall socio-economic development of the country.
The organisations that signed the MoU under the name: Synergy for Technology Impact (SynTech) are: The Ace Foundation for Technology (aftech); True Verdict Communications LTD (The Presidential Diary – PDM); Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA); and Journalists Global Foundation (JGF), a press statement signed by National Coordinator SynTech, Faith Nwadishi, Wednesday in Abuja, disclosed.
“The MoU signed recently in Abuja, came after several months of groundwork and robust discussions on need for paradigm shift in Nigeria from an absolutely import dependent country to a productive and manufacturing economy, through the development of a culture of indigenous technology and innovations as well as investment in knowledge-based economy founded on science and technology.
Recognizing the crucial role that the Ministry of Science and Technology and other government agencies such as National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) are playing in technological innovations and development in Agriculture and Science.
“The coalition agreed that it is time to synergise with such agencies, all tiers of government and other stakeholders, to identify talents, innovations and researchers who need sponsorship or partnership and support to enable them complete their works on research and development (R&Ds).
“The group, which is non-partisan, is committed to change the sad narrative of neglect of the Science and Technology Sector in development plans and implementation within the nation’s political economy and expresses optimism to ultimately attract national and international recognitions leading to products and services in Nigeria,” the statement read in part.
According to the statement, “SynTech hopes to bring the science, technology, and innovation Sector to the front burner in national discourse, and to stimulate national debates on what needs to be done to pull Nigeria out of the latest Global Innovation Index rating (GII) as published by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in July 2022, which puts Nigeria in 118 positions in the World out of 132 countries. The GII rated Nigeria 114 and 117 in 2019 and 2020 respectively and plummeted to 118 in 2021 among 132 countries, a development which should spur all patriotic minds into purposeful action to redefine our goals and aspirations as a nation.”
The coalition further stated that it would continue to strengthen advocacy for the sector to receive executive and legislative priority in both debates and policy considerations to determine socio-economic development and directions for the country.
