• As Minister holds high-level meeting with EU Commission
The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said that Nigeria needs to intensify efforts in producing equipment to help fight insecurity and further equip the Armed Forces.
Dr. Onu made the remarks when he received the report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Wiseguard Technologies Nigeria Limited in Abuja on Thursday.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee comprised of members of the Nigerian Army, Airforce, Civil Defence Corps, National Agency for Space Research Development (NASRDA), and the Ministry of Interior.
He maintained in the strongest terms that security is extremely vital for citizens living in rural and urban communities.
He assured Nigerians that the current security challenges bedeviling the country are a price for national development, adding that more indigenous innovations will emanate from the security situation.
The Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, Dr. Halilu Ahmad Shaba hailed the efforts of all and sundry involved in the committee’s work.
He assured that more efforts will be on deck to further improve the committee’s work.
In another development, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu held a high-level interactive meeting with the EU Commission on Horizon Europe-Focus on Nigeria.
The meeting was held virtually between the Minister and the European Union Commission on Thursday.
At the virtual meeting, Dr. Onu said that Scientific Research and Innovation is important to realize knowledge-driven economic development in Nigeria.
He said the Federal Government will continue to promote cooperation between the European Union and Nigeria that will be targeted at finding local solutions to challenges that are global but with very severe impact on Africa.
The Minister described the “EU-Horizon Nigeria” as a strategic partner towards delivering beneficial innovation and research programmes, that will promote sustainable knowledge-driven economic development for growth, job and wealth creation, defence and internal security, infrastructural development, and good governance.
Dr. Onu used the opportunity to call upon Scientists, Researchers, the Organized Private Sector (OPS), and entrepreneurs in Nigeria to submit proposals for funding to Horizon Europe.
The Horizon Europe work programme 2021-2022 includes about 40 topics with a budget of around €350 million. Also, Horizon Europe which is the EU’s research and innovation programme has a budget of €95.5b for a period of 7 years: 2021-2027.
