The Minister of State for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh says the Federal Government has approved the production of Indigenous satellites in Nigeria to boost Internet broadband penetration.
He disclosed this during the South-South dialogue between the government and stakeholders in the Science, Technology, and Innovation, STI, ecosystem in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the satellite production and design will be achieved through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project in line with the presidential executive order No.5 to ensure the country depends less on imported goods and services.
The minister reiterated the commitment of the Federal government to use Executive Order NO.5 to empower youths in the Niger- Delta region in welding technology, to enable them to compete with their foreign counterparts to curb restiveness and militancy.
“The Technology and Innovation centers would showcase the role of STI in socio-economic development, and ensure Nigeria moves from a resource-based economy to a Knowledge and Innovation driven economy.
“The development of Technology Innovation centers would provide the enabling environment for the Emergence of Tech-Giants, Innovative discoveries, and Inventions, that would accelerate reverse engineering,” he said.
The Minister explained that the geo-political dialogues would enhance the productive capacities of each geo-political zone to promote the nation’s Global Competitiveness and Productivity.
“It is envisaged that the operationalization of the Technology and Innovation centers will lead to the Emergence of commercial Research and Development Companies, which will, in turn, be used to attract Research Funding from local companies and Venture Capital that would motivate Nigerians to go into the field of Science, Research and Development (R&D)” Chief Ikoh said.
In his speech, the National Coordinator, Strategy Implementation Task Office for Presidential Executive Order NO.5, Mr. Ibiam Oguejiofor, noted that the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, will collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the ecosystem to promote the application of STI in all sectors of the economy.
In a remark, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Prince C. Mmom, said the state government would support the promotion of indigenous technology in the Country and commended the Federal Government for considering Rivers State as a host of the South-South zone and center of excellence for global Competitiveness and productivity.
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