The National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) said it is leveraging on university, research institutes and industry partnerships as a strategy for national technology development.

Dr Uchenna Chukwu, the Director-General, NBTI, made this statement on Wednesday while addressing science and technology stakeholders at an interactive session, titled “Technology and innovation development in Nigeria: prospects and challenges”.

Chukwu, who was represented by the Director, Internal Audit, Mr Mohammed Ladan, said effective collaboration was a useful tool for ensuring the application of science and technology.

He said that by leveraging on partnerships between and research institutions and the industry, the resolution of social problems, creating value addition and commercialisation of research results will be achieved.

Chukwu said: “Partnerships between the university/ research institutes, industry and government is one of the most effective strategies for technology development.

“It is a useful tool for ensuring the efficient application of science and technology to the resolution of social problems.”

He added that the government had taken the public private-partnership initiatives to provide the framework for the development of science and technology leading to the creation of Technology Incubation Programmes (TIP).

“Technology Incubation, when operated on best practices has proven all over the world as a credible strategy for developing the productive sector.

“It is a programme where the culture of value addition is imbibed in prospective entrepreneurs in other to build sustainable competitive enterprises.

“Under this programme, Nigeria hopes to translate most of our indigenous knowledge, inventions, research and development findings through value addition into sustained competitive product and creating MSMEs in the process,’’ Chukwu said.

He said through the TIP, human capacity development was achieved, wealth is created, employment generated and entrepreneurial value inculcated among the beneficiaries.

NBTI’s Director of Procurement, Mr Mohammed Kano said that there would be no meaningful government without the contribution of science and technology.

He urged all the stakeholders present to make meaningful contributions and deliberations that would enhance private-public partnerships and foster economic development.

“This collaborative meeting would provide a valuable opportunity for research scientists, industry specialists, representatives of government and other stakeholders to exchange ideas, share experiences and ensure policy implementation,’’ he said.

NAN reports that TIP is an integrated government support programme to establishments such as academic institutions, research centres and private sector, either individually or in partnership.

The policy thrust of the TIP is to pursue the commercialisation of technologies and technical innovations with the intention of creating and nurturing indigenous technology-based enterprise.

The programe, which started in Lagos had since expanded with the establishment of 6 zonal offices and 36 centers across Nigeria.