A call has been made by the National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Iyalode Alaba Lawson, for the sustenance of indigenous technology in the country.

She made the call in her goodwill message during the Special Day of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) at the on-going National Technology and Innovation Expo 2018 taking place at the Eagle Square, Abuja. Iyalode Lawson reiterated the commitment of the Organized Private Sector (OPS) to partner or collaborate with the government to ensure that such laudable initiatives are preserved for the overall good of the nation.

The NACCIMA President expressed worry over the import dependent nature of Nigeria’s economy.

Iyalode Lawson, who was represented by Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, Vice President in charge of Information a Communication Technology (ICT) and Provost of the Business Entrepreneurial Skills and Technology (BEST) center at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), said: “Commercialisation of indigenous technology plays an important role in promoting our indigenous technologies and research outputs. It also will, in the long run, encourage local manufacturers and prevent business owners from being too dependent on foreign technologies, machineries and research data especially reduce the cost on production of the goods and services as alternative indigenous technology cost much less.

“Nigeria economy as we all know is still very import dependent and there is the growing need to ensure that our dependence on imports which remains a source of a major concern, is minimised to the barest minimum to promote local alternatives.

“NACCIMA supports the development of research in every aspect of business and urges the federal government to provide more funding to research and technology institutes to enable them meet up with the standard of foreign technologies and increase the demand of our indigenous technology both locally and abroad.”

Earlier in her address, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of FIIRO, Prof. Gloria Elemo, appealed to the guests and stakeholders to take advantage of the forum to increase their understanding of research and development commercialisation by keying into it.

Elemo also expressed confidence in the ability of the Ministry of Science and Technology under Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu’s leadership to chat the way for others to follow in this regard.

She noted that the efforts by the Ministry to ensure that producers move away from mechanical production to automated technology is a step in the right direction and have produced amazing results which FIIRO is proud to be associated with.

Other speakers at the Special Day included the Senate Committee Chairman on Science and Technology, Sen. Ajayi Boriffice, his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Beni Lar, and guest speaker, Prof. M.O. Ilori of the faculty of Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.