Dr Adeleke Mamora, Minister of Scientific, Technology, and Innovation (STI), has urged the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to maintain its commitment to the advancement of space science technology.
Mamora made the statement on Wednesday during the ongoing STI Expo in Abuja with the subject “Actualising Effective Diversification of the Nigerian Economy Through Science, Technology and Innovation”.
The exhibition includes government entities under the ministry, academic institutes of R&D and Technological, and private technology organizations, among others.
The expo, which is held annually by the ministry, is intended to highlight technical projects from across the country, among other things.
“There is no doubt that NASRDA has been very instrumental in the areas of security, you have partnered with security agencies to address insecurity in the country.
“It is important that you sustain the momentum in that area, in other areas using space technology because the reward for hard work is more work,” Mamora said.
He also urged the agency to ensure that the goal of establishing the STI Television in its premises was met.
He believes that STI TV should be used to tell the success narrative of the STI sector, as well as to educate, entertain, and inform the public.
Dr Halilu Shaba, Director-General of NASRDA, stated that the agency’s commodities were noticeably different from those shown at prior expos.
Shaba also stated that the government will save money by using some of the agency’s products.
“One of the crises in Nigeria R&D is consistency, we have remained consistent compared to what we brought last year.
“The automated system we have initially, we are now trying to miniaturise it, it is more efficient, and we have engaged a marketing concept in developing some of these things.
“Now we are working in the areas of packaging, we also have a new telescope which we made for students, we don’t want Nigerians to buy telescopes from anywhere again.
“Some of these products we have on display, if they were to be bought by the government it will cost more but we have reduced capital flight,’’ he said.
Shaba went on to say that the agency was focusing on irrigation to support agriculture in terms of water usage and other areas.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been investing in agriculture for the past eight years, and NASRDA is also making purposeful efforts to move toward smart agriculture.
Shaba went on to say that using the agency’s human capability, it has established courses on Space Science technology, and that students interested in studying space-related courses may be admitted.
The D-G stated that they were offering up options for interested partners to collaborate with the agency in order to ensure that its mandate of tackling socio economic difficulties in the country through space scientific technology was met.
