Abuja, Jan 22, 2018 (NAN) – Nigerian Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has lauded National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) for saving N240 billion in the last six years through licensing of technology.
Onu said this on Tuesday in Abuja, nation’s capital at the foundation laying ceremony of NOTAP office complex.
Onu expressed joy, noting that NOTAP had played foremost roles in promotion and protection of intellectual property rights of innovators in the country.
« NOTAP has played a big role as an agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology has been able to save for Nigeria N240 billion in the last six years through licensing of technology.
« It is strategic that NOTAP has a suitable and enabling office environment because it will do more country, » he said.
Onu said the office complex was important so that the agency would continue in its protection of innovative rights of individual and help the country towards its journey of industrialisation.
« The country is on a journey to industrialisation, this will help in closing of skills gap and capacity building which will also help grow the economy.
« As innovations and research findings can be converted to goods and services needed in the country. If we have surplus from produced goods and services, we can then export to generate revenue.
« We are working towards becoming a knowledge and innovative society; we are tired of always importing technology.
« It is very important that this office complex is put in place to house a very important agency as NOTAP, » he said.
Onu also commended NOTAP for its presence in almost all the country’s institutions of learning where it is carrying out responsibility of protecting intellectual property.
He, however, charged the agency to be a custodian of data of all Nigerian professionals within and outside the country.
« The office complex is important to the nation as NOTAP will have a higher responsibility of keeping correctly all the data of professionals who are within and outside the country so that their innovations can help fight poverty and generate jobs, » he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. DanAzumi Ibrahim thanked the minister for making the office complex a reality.
He added that the office complex would be ready soon and also reiterated the commitment of the agency towards the promotion and acquisition of technology.
Mr Bitrus Nabasu, the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) and Chairman Governing Board of NOTAP, also expressed his gratitude to the minister for his support to the agency.
