Osinbajo calls for rebranding of national innovation ecosystem – WorldStage | So Good News

WorldStage Newsonline – Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday called for the re-evaluation and rebranding of the national innovation ecosystem to spur technological and socio-economic development in the country.

Osinbajo made the call on Friday at the opening of the two-day National Innovation Workshop at the International Convention Center in Awka.

The topic of the seminar: “Promoting Science, Technology and Innovation Inventors (STI).

It was organized by the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and the Nigerian Institute of Scientific Laboratory Technology.

Osinbajo, who was attended by Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikoh, said the seminar offered Nigeria an opportunity to reassess and rebrand its ecosystem.

“It will be focused on technology and entrepreneurship.

“The way to close the gap between the rich and the poor is to think outside the box, to commercialize innovation and ideas.

“Nigeria will only be great again when it starts to shift its focus from being a consumer to a producer; and innovation is required to produce.

“The Federal Government will continue to support the adoption of STDs as a key tool to accelerate socio-economic development in the country.”

Also speaking, Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, said there was need for a national policy to promote STIs, saying it was a new way of life.

“Without STDs, nothing happens. In Anambra, we have recognized this fact and we are taking proactive measures to make Anambra the home of STD talent in the country.

“Having a mainstream legislative framework to keep young people with STIs in our schools, we need to replicate the same across the country.

“The policy also commits Nigerians and the Nigerian government to support indigenous inventors and innovators by supporting them. If they innovate and invent and no one takes care of them, their ideas die,” Soludo said.

Former Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Senator Anim Pius Anim, in his lecture, drew the country’s attention to the need to prepare for the fourth industrial revolution.

“Humanity is in a period of transition in terms of a technological revolution that will affect the way we live, work and communicate, so we need to prepare and adjust our way of thinking.

“In a short time, talent and innovation will become the only reliable capital. As a nation, we need a legislative agenda to harness the human resources available to us.

“We must nurture Nigerian youths in the path of science, technology and innovation to unlock opportunities.

“The fourth industrial revolution will launch and place our economy on a sustainable path of growth,” Anim said.

In his speech, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Uche Ekwunife, said the workshop was designed to bring together innovators, inventors, academia, policymakers, entrepreneurs, technology companies and students from across the country.

Ekwunife said STI must be prioritized to address the exponential changes required for economic growth, job creation and wealth creation,” he said.

The program featured demonstration sessions, prize funds for outstanding innovations and the awarding of the best Nigerian inventor.