The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has advocated the utilisation of indigenous professionals to promote research productivity for national growth.
Mr. Omomehin Ajimijaye, NCDMB General Manager, Research, Statistics, and Development, said this on Wednesday at a three-day Research and Development Workshop and Training of Research Directors on Writing and Wining Research Proposals.
The workshop with the theme “Research and Development as a Spring Board and Catalyst to Stimulate Regional Development in Nigeria’’ was organised by NCDMB in Sokoto.
Ajimijaye said the workshop was geared toward stimulating and leveraging the outcome of local contents through utilising indigenous professionals who were vast and won research proposals.
According to him, NCDMB has intensified efforts to establish linkages and mentorships among Nigerian professionals in order to harness individual and group potentialities in the area of research and development.
The general manager described the efforts as critical to the nation’s economy, scholarships, security, technological advancement, and the social well-being of its citizens.
He added that the programme was initiated in recognition of the gaps in research and development in the country.
“We realised that some Nigerian researchers and inventors lacked the ability and skills to package their work in such a way as to win grants, attract funding, or access sponsorships.
“Board was using Research and Development (R&D) to drive growth of Nigerian Content through the established centers of excellence located in each of the geopolitical zones,
“The board had set aside funds for R&D and has established R&D centers of excellence in five universities across Nigeria.’’
The general manager urged Nigerian researchers to draw from the fund.
He said that the board would continue to facilitate the acceptance of indigenously researched and developed products that met industry standards as part of its efforts to develop and enhance local capacity.
“We at NCDMB give them that assurance that if you are able to do your research and develop your products, that will help the industry, We will push your products to be used in the industry and give them the right of first refusal,” he said.
He said that as part of NCDMB efforts, Nigeria was already exporting products used outside the country.
He listed the challenges facing research and development to include skills gap, infrastructure gaps, access to data, policy gaps, and research and development culture
Earlier, Prof. Mahmud Garba, the Executive Director of National Energy Research Center at Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto, described the event as landmark achievement towards enhancing local contents on research, innovation and development.
NAN reports that participants were drawn from universities and other higher institutions in the northwest -west states, while resource persons included Prof. Tijjani Isa, Prof. Abdullahi Danladi and Mr Nasir Hashim.
Topics were Innovative on Oil Field Chemical Development, Innovation on Hardware Development, Aligning Research Proposals to Industry and Society Needs, Analytic of Grant Winning Proposals and Establishing Research Team. (NAN)
