The Federal Government has approved the production of Indigenous Satellite in Nigeria to boost Internet broadband penetration.
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 of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh made this known during the South -South dialogue between government and stakeholders in the Science, Technology and Innovation, STI ,ecosystem in Port Harcourt.
The Minister said that the geo-political dialogues would enhance the productive capacities of each geo-political zone to promote the nation’s Global Competitiveness and Productivity.
According to Chief Ikoh, the Technology and Innovation centres 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.
He further said that the development of Technology Innovation centres would provide the enabling environment for the Emergence of Tech-Giants, Innovative discoveries, and Inventions, that would accelerate reverse engineering.
“It is envisaged that the operationalization of the Technology and Innovation centres 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)” He said.
Chief Ikoh further reiterated the commitment of the Federal government to use the Executive Order NO.5 to empower youths in the Niger- Delta region in welding technology, to enable them compete with their foreign counterparts to curb restiveness and militancy.
Earlier, 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.
Also, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Prince C. Mmom, commended the Federal Government for considering Rivers State as a host of the South-South zone and centre of excellence for global Competiveness and productivity noting that the state government would support the promotion of indigenous technology in the Country.
RN