The Federal Government has restated its commitment to implement the national strategy for competitiveness in raw materials and products development to boost the competitiveness in raw materials and products development in Nigeria.
Chief Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Technical Conference for the Implementation of the National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development in Nigeria was developed by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC).
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the National Strategy for implementation on May 17, 2017.
It is a strategy document to boost the competitiveness in raw materials and products development in Nigeria and address over dependence on imported innovations, technologies, products and services.
The minister said the strategy was to facilitate significant reductions in the importation of raw materials and products that are readily available in Nigeria but massively still imported.
He said when implemented, the strategy would create 4.4 million jobs which would also boost local content in manufacturing to 50 per cent and 80 per cent in the short and long terms respectively.
According to him, this will lead to increased global acceptance of made-in-Nigeria raw materials, products, and services, thereby boosting foreign exchange earnings and reserve.
“ The target of the strategy is to facilitate significant reductions in the imports of raw materials and products short, medium and long terms respectively.
“ Reductions by at least 11per cent in the (0 to five years), 31per cent in the (five to 10 years) and 49 per cent in the (10 years & above), respectively.
“ In addition to steady development of demand-driven scientific industrial culture, increased industry-research strategic alliances with the resultant production of high-quality and competitive raw materials and products.’’
Nnaji noted that in an increasingly interconnected human society, competitiveness on the global stage was no longer optional but indeed imperative.
“Global competitiveness is the lifeblood of any thriving economy as it underscores the ability to produce goods and services that meet the standards of the international markets while simultaneously strengthening the citizen’s long-term real income.”
In his remarks, the Director-General, RMRDC, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, said the workshop was necessary to ensure deliberations on critical issues ranging from competitiveness, advocacy and commercialization of Research and Development (R&D) breakthroughs.
He noted that the strategy was a unique change agent towards national development initiatives, adding that its successful implementation would reduce the level of raw materials and products importation.
“Other benefits of implementing the strategy include facilitating strategic alliances between research-focused organisations and industry, enhancing the intensity of industry-demand-driven research and development activities.
“ This conference responds to the patriotic zeal from His Excellency Chief Uche Geofrey Nnaji, charging us to immediately initiate and commence the implementation of the National Strategy following its inauguration in 2017.
“The post-approval step by the government was also the constitution of the National Consultative Committee on Competitiveness (NCCC) by the then Hon. Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation to ensure the successful implementation of the strategy.
“ This home-grown strategy anchored on applying innovation, science, and technology to raw materials and product development is its imports into the country.’’
Mrs Esuabana Asanye, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, said the technical workshop would create platforms for stakeholders to deliberate on the 11 thematic areas of interest.
“These areas include competitiveness advocacy, institutional and organisational arrangements, policy and legal framework, human resource development and infrastructure development.
“Others are research and development, industry and business development, monitoring and evaluation, data development, she said.
According to her, Nigeria has abundant raw materials, from solids, metals and energy minerals to agro-raw materials and developing them into high-quality products is imperative for national growth and global competitiveness.
“This conference is timely and critical as it creates a platform for continuously deliberating and recommending feasible initiatives for strengthening Nigeria’s economic growth prospects and global competitiveness in raw materials and product development,’’ he said.
NAN reports that participants comprised of representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Organised Private Sector, academia, development partners, civil society organisations, and the media. (NAN)
