Nigeria must recalibrate national priorities by treating Science, Technology, and Indigenous Innovation (STI) not as a project, but as the engine of growth to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Chidi Nwafor, Executive Director/CEO of Foundation for Innovation in Governance and Digital Rights (FIGDR), made the disclosure as a guest speaker at the 7th Faculty of Physical Sciences International Conference and Exhibition (FAPSCON 2025) held at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State.
The conference, themed “Energy, Science, Technology and Innovation: Leveraging Indigenous Technology and Recalibrating National Priorities for Achieving Tech Innovations and SDGs in Nigeria,” brought together personalities, including Dr Ada Chukwudozie, Chairman of Keystone Bank Ltd., who emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships and innovation-driven growth.
“We are excited to officially unveil FIGDR. This is a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to driving technological innovation, good governance, and digital inclusion across Nigeria and beyond,” he said.
Also in attendance was Onyema Iloh, Professor and Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, COOU, whose leadership continues to inspire excellence in research, innovation, and academic collaboration.
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“At FIGDR, we believe the future of governance and innovation lies in collaboration, digital empowerment, and ethical technology adoption to build a society where innovation and human rights thrive side by side,” he stated.
According to him, Nigeria must also invest in human capital (STEM education) and strengthen the National Innovation System, internalise technology creation and reduce foreign tech dependence.
On policy integration, the astute scholar urged the establishment of a National Indigenous Knowledge Agency to document, protect, and mainstream indigenous technologies
Nwafor affirmed the use of technology to expand human freedoms (health, education, economic participation) to achieve equitable development, and to also nurture indigenous and renewable energy niches to transition away from the unsustainable, fossil fuel-based economic regime.
“This will help to integrate agrivoltaics into the renewable energy master plan, foster public-private partnerships, and combine modern tools (IoT, remote sensing) with indigenous practices (e.g., digital platforms for herbal databases).
“The innovator called for the use of SDG dashboards and biometric technologies to ensure transparency, holding elected leaders accountable for progress on energy access and food security goals”, he noted.
Nwafor added that Nigerian GDP is spent on R&D overall, with policy neglect of Indigenous Knowledge.
“Just 1% of the R&D budget is allocated to indigenous systems, leading to underutilization. On energy poverty, despite local solutions, 85 million people lack access to electricity,” he stated.
On election, he noted that credible elections enhance legitimacy and public trust, which is essential for pursuing long-term, transformative SDG agendas.
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However, Electoral irregularities and weak institutions undermine public trust (only 29% trust in process) and stall long-term SDG policies.
He emphasised that trusted leaders should enforce anti-corruption measures, freeing up funds diverted by Nigeria’s $18 billion annual losses.
While legitimate leaders can secure long-term investment (e.g., from the Green Climate Fund) and prioritise national goals (e.g., energy access for 85M).
According to him, the use of SDG dashboards to track leadership outcomes will ensure accountability for energy access and food security targets.
He assured that the use of indigenous materials would reduce reliance on $2 billion in tech imports, noting that despite the recognised potential of indigenous knowledge, it remains underutilised and marginalised in favour of high-cost, imported solutions.
