Federal Government in a bid to strengthen the commercialization of Research and Development breakthroughs in Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three indigenous and international food producing organisations.
This is in line with the government’s resolve to increase the current industrial is a too process of the present administration to enhance the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and close technological gaps in industries, thereby creating jobs and wealth.
In the bid to achieve the feat, Federal Government through Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tiger foods Limited, Lensof Konsult and Lashone Links Limited on commercialization of indigenous Research & Development breakthroughs on food seasonings and ready to use traditional soups.
Minister of the Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu who approved the MoU, assured the organisations of the ministry’s support to set the economy on the path of sustainable growth and development.
Onu reiterated the commitment of the Buhari-led administration to strengthen the economy through promotion of innovative technologies that will reduce import dependency, enhance local content and strengthen self-sufficiency.
“We want to be able to export rather than import. We are ready to support any indigenous entrepreneur with the necessary research and development to enable us grow. We want to be able to create wealth and employment for our people.
“We want, not only to rely with what we can do in our nation, to minimize the importation of things we can produce but we want the world to know more about Nigeria. We want the world to know about the food that we eat here that our food is very nutritional. We want our food to compete with all the very best in all the continents in the world.
“With the commercialization of these recipes for ready to eat traditional soups, our military and members of the Armed forces can now eat our food were ever they are deployed in any part of the world,” the Minister said.
“We want, not only to rely with what we can do in our nation, to minimize the importation of things we can produce but we want the world to know more about Nigeria. We want the world to know about the food that we eat here that our food is very nutritional .we want our food to compete with all the very best in all the continents in the world,” the minister stressed.
He added that Diplomats who are posted outside can now rely on what we are doing today to eat Nigerian food and Nigeria will be in a position to have restaurants in all continents of the world and serve the world our own food.
Director-General of FIIRO, Gloria Elemo, earlier in her address said the institute is poised on its mission statement to conduct market driven R&D for socioeconomic development of the nation.
According to her, the effective commercialization of indigenous research and development, will help in the country total recovery from economic recession.
“In the process of commercialization of indigenous technologies, jobs will be created, wealth will be generated, foreign exchange will be conserved, national GDP will be enhanced through the productive sector of the economy,” she said.
OYIN AMINU, Abuja
