By Fortune Abang
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government will continue to play its role to realise major innovation goals in Nigeria.
Osinbajo made this known in his address at the closing ceremony of the Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (i-FAIR) programme on Thursday in Abuja.
Osinbajo was represented by Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology.
For too long, we have allowed our economy to depend on conditions driven by oil and we have seen that, that is not good for our economy.
Our nation is a great nation, we can do far better than what we are doing, we have abundance of natural resources and some of the most intelligent people in the world.
This is acknowledged everywhere, so there is no reason why our economy should not be based on knowledge that is innovation driven, he said.
The vice-president disclosed that since December 2020 i-FAIR Centre was opened and admitted its fellows, the federal government had always given support.
He noted that many of the start-ups were been matched by investments, urging all Nigerians to support the ongoing drive for innovation to achieve targets.
Osinbajo said: We want all Nigerians to know that if you have a dream government will support you.
To become a reality and such ideas will be transformed into a product or service useful to meet our needs as a nation to create more jobs.
We have the largest population in Africa and largest market concentration globally, if China with population of about 1.4 billion can give employment to its citizens, we should do it.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the I-FAIR programme which started from on Dec. 1, 2020 to April, 2021 centered on on-line trainings.
The participants developed prototypes and business plans, while learning about intellectual property protection, marketing options, communication and pitching to potential investors, at the i-FAIR innovation labs and workshops.
High point of the ceremony was presentation of certificate to 21-graduates of the fellowships programme.
Source: NAN News