Science &Tech Expo stakeholders call for interface between Govt, industry, others

Some stakeholders at Science and Techno Expo have commended the initiative of the Federal Government for assembling scientists, innovators, researchers and called for better interface between government, researchers and the industries.

Some of the stakeholder who spoke to Radio Nigeria, at the expo with the theme: “Science, Technology and Innovation for Nigeria’s Economic Diversification” monitored in Lagos at the close of the of the five-day event held in Abuja stated that both the federal and state governments have made it easy for collaboration between those who create things and those who can convert things created into commercially viable products to bring about economic prosperity.

Mr Banji Adaramola, a researcher in the Basic Science Department of Babcock University, said that the expo was very good and well thought out, especially in terms of the number of innovators present, stressing that more encouragement should be given to interfacing or cooperation between researchers and the industry.

The industries, he said, will then know what the researchers are doing and they can come together and put some of these goods to commercial uses.

“Now, we have come with some flours made from local grains, millet, corn, rice and the rest of them, the flours are made from these local grain, we have made it in such a way that they can be made into solid foods, they can also be used to make confectioneries.

“The intention is to improve or increase the nutritional value of the grains that Nigerians can have access to. By so doing, we have increased the protein content of the food such that instead of depending on the wheat for confectioneries, our local grains can also be put into use.

“This will encourage farmers by diversifying the use of these grains and the farmers will also do some more growing of these grains and through job creation and the country’s GDP will improvement,’’ Adaramola said.

A participant at the venue said that the expo was a good attempt to expose the ingenuity of Nigerians, adding that government should continue with the effort every six months and it should be moved round all the states across the country so that people in these places too will get to know what is going on as far as innovation is concerned.

According to him, he has seen a number of things he didn’t know are available locally and in commercial quantities.
He said that the Expo is very commendable on the part of government, adding that “we now know where and to whom we can go for the raw materials that we require for our industries.’’

He called on entrepreneurs and exhibitors that they should endeavour to improve on the quality of their products and in their marketing strategy.

The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology organized he five-day event in pursuant of its mandate of deploying science, technology and innovation to provide employment, alleviate poverty and contribute to economic diversification.

Participants at the expo include professionals from universities, polytechnics, research institutes and industrial research laboratories, inventors, innovators, science, technology and innovation entrepreneurs in the formal and informal sectors, as well as selected Nigerian innovators from the Diaspora.