Nigeria cannot ignore her tech talents, the new Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Mr Khalil Halilu, has disclosed.
According to him, Nigerian talents are some of the best in the world and are making strides in different parts of the world. He said this recently during his inaugural address to the management and staff of the agency.
He highlighted one of his agendas as the EVC of the agency is to aid technology transfer. In a statement, Halilu said, “Number one thing we want to look at is the area of technology transfer, everyone is looking at Africa and there is no better chance than now. Other countries are competing to bring and exchange technologies especially with Africa.
“We cannot ignore our talents. We, Nigerians are amongst the best, doing things in different parts of the globe. We have to bring in all this wealth of experiences. We will ensure that we provide the environment and the necessary support to be able to achieve this mandate.”
He further stated that the duty of the agency is to use the country’s resources, talents, capacity, and energy to drive economic development priority areas of the new administration.
He said, “The focus is for innovation, science, and technology resources to serve Nigerians and to add value to the national economy.”
He added, “We shall adopt, adapt, and domesticate cutting-edge technologies, wherever we find it. We will build a pool of well-educated and talented personnel, support world-class research and development (R&D), and build partnerships and collaborations across Nigeria, Africa, and the world.
“We shall collaborate with government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, at Federal and State levels, with the private sector, the international community, development partners, and the media.”
The new EVC further argued that there are immense opportunities for Nigeria to grow in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and innovation.
According to the statement, the new CEO of the agency was received by top management staff led by the Coordinating Director Planning and Business Development, Mrs Nonyem Onyechi, who guided him on a tour of the agency’s facilities.
