Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, has stated that Nigeria is priotising the development of innovative technology to drive it’s economic diversification away from oil and gas development.
He noted that innovation remained the cornerstone of global economic growth, hence the need not to neglect it.
He spoke at the commissioning ceremony of the South East office complex of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research(FIRO) , in Enugu at the weekend.
The minister listed the various derivatives of cassava, adding that if the country can process 70 percent of the cassava it produces, it would affect the value of the naira.
“Nigeria is the highest producer of cassava in the world, we produce about 64 metric tons of cassava yearly,” he stated.
Director general/CEO of FIRO, Dr. (Mrs.) Jummai T. Adamu, said it was appropriate to disclose that they were vigorously pursuing their broad mandate, which is to accelerate industrialisation in Nigeria.
Director General /CEO of Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Dr Peter Ogbobe, commended the minister for the steps taken to revolutionise research, saying the steps would go a long way to fasten the renewed hope agenda of the present administration.
