The federal authorities and the UNESCO have referred to as for stronger collaboration amongst stakeholders to reposition science, expertise and innovation as driver of financial development.
They stated this on Wednesday on the opening of a three-day workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation and the Renewed Hope Agenda held in Abuja.
The workshop was organised by the UNESCO in collaboration with the Sheda Science and Technology Complex.
The science and tech minister, Kingsley Udeh, stated economies had been being reworked by synthetic intelligence, biotechnology, digital methods, house applied sciences and inexperienced improvements.
On the institution of the National Research Innovation and Development Fund and up to date approval by the Federal Executive Council, Mr Udeh stated the Sankore challenge was central to its implementation.
Mr Udeh stated the federal authorities was making deliberate efforts to advertise analysis to trade collaboration, encourage demand-driven innovation, enhance infrastructure and create clear pathways for commercialisation.
Dimitri Sanga, the director of UNESCO West Africa, stated the challenge was focused as a part of initiatives to attain the Sustainable Development Goals agenda of 2030 and the African Union 2063 Development Agenda.
The director-general of SHETSCO, Magaji Aliyu, stated he was dedicated to advocating the passing of the National Research Innovation Council Bill, one other laws focused on the growth of the STI ecosystem.
Mukhtar Muhammad, the everlasting secretary on the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, stated the nationwide analysis and growth spending stood at about 0.2 per cent of the nation’s gross home product.
Mr Muhammad stated it was beneath African Union’s one per cent benchmark which mirrored constrained capability to provide top quality analysis, retain expertise and adapt to international applied sciences to native wants.
He stated Nigeria had the capability for high quality analysis and will translate such into commercialised merchandise.
The challenge, which started in March 2025 in Nigeria and Ghana, is supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and aimed toward establishing National Research Fund operationalisation.
(NAN)
