In order to boost local content and promote economic sustainability in Nigeria, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) will work with the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS).
Dr. DanAzumi Ibrahim, the DG NOTAP, spoke Friday in Abuja to a delegation from the academy that was headed by Prof. Ekanem Brande, the academy’s president.
Such strategic alliances, according to the DG, accelerated socioeconomic progress.
The visit, according to Ibrahim, was in accordance with the directives issued by President Muhammadu Buhari regarding the execution of Executive Order 5, which he signed into law in February 2018.
“The order was to ensure that all procuring authorities shall give preference to Nigerian companies and firms in award of contracts, in line with the Public Procurement Act 2007.
“The order prevents the Ministry of Interior from issuing expatriate visas to foreigners who intend to come to undertake jobs that Nigerians have the competencies and capacities to undertake,’’ he said.
Ibrahim continued by saying that Nigerian scientists and engineers were in a good position to benefit from the plan for the nation’s economic sustainability.
He said that NOTAP has started a number of initiatives that would help academy members, such as efforts to help Nigerian researchers patent their ideas and the outcomes of their R&D.
Ibrahim said : ”Members of NAS are to submit claims of their inventions to NOTAP for assistance in patenting them free.’’
Earlier in her statement, Brande stated that the academy was Nigeria’s foremost autonomous science organisation, founded in 1977 but incorporated in 1986 to grow and improve STI.
She claimed that the academy collaborated closely with the Nigerian government to apply scientific knowledge to policies and the country’s strategic orientation.
“The academy is also the third oldest academy on the African continent and a founding member of the Network of African Science academies (NASAC).
“The academy has a working relationship with academies across Africa and globally as well as other organizations and it has successfully implemented projects with many of them.
“As with national academies in other countries, NAS is a not-for-profit organization,’’ she said.
Brande commended the DG for his presentation adding that the various activities NOTAP was involved in were also in line with the mandates of NAS.
