Minister, NUC urge varsities to research on nation’s challenges
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie have called on Nigerian Universities to develop research products that would be commercially viable and provide solutions to the nation’s challenges.
They gave the charge at the on-going 6th edition of Nigerian Universities Research and Development Fair at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
The theme of the fair is: “Research and Innovation: A Panacea for National Industrial Transformation”.
In their different speeches, Anwuka and Okojie noted that what the country would need was technology-driven researches with commercial values and not theorisation.
They reminded Universities that the difference between them and other tertiary institutions was research.
Anwuka, who described the theme of the fair as apt and timely, noted that commercial research would help in the diversification of Nigeria’s economy.
Okojie, who was represented by and aide, Dr. Suleman Ramon-Yusuf, said there was need to explore research as a means to enhance Nigeria’s industrial transformation and global competitiveness.
The NUC, who organised the fair in collaboration with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, maintained the research fair was to stimulate and deepen the interdependence among researchers, industrialists and inventors.
He called for innovations and research products that would attract the attention of both local and international markets.
Speaking, an industrialist and chairman of the event, Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye, enjoined the organisers of the fair to always involve industrialists and manufacturers in the scheme.
Okoye expressed optimism that a synergy between researchers and industrialists would bring about radical industrial growth and mass employment in the country.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, said research findings from Nigerian universities had not been maximised.
Ahaneku said: “Considerable research findings abound in Nigeria Universities serving no further purpose for society at large as a result of lack of linkage with industry”.
The VC added that, “This raises the urgent necessity of moving beyond basic research to applied research and innovation, which in addition to creating knowledge/technology, would lead to discovering solution and promote global competitiveness of our industries.”
