The National Office For Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC for the upgrade of Laboratories in five Nigerian universities.
These are the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State; University of Jos, Plateau State; Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo state; Usman Danforth’s University, Sokoko and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state.
The MoU which is under the NOTPA- Industry Research Laboratory Upgrade Project (NIRLUP) was signed at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
In his remarks, the NOTAP Director General, Dr DanAzumi Ibrahim disclosed that PZ Cussons is spending close to N100 million to upgrade each of the give laboratories.
He said the project which is in addition to the previous and interventions of the company to equipment and manpower development in the country was part of the NOTAP’s efforts to fuse the industry and academia for economic growth of Nigeria.
While urging other companies to key into the initiative and benefiting universities to put the equipment into proper use, Ibrahim said: “Research and Development (R&D) is what will move this nation forward.
“We are trying to bring the industry and academia together…even if we develop capacities if you go to the laboratories some were in a very sordid state and some of the equipment are dilapidated, some are not functioning and for a credible R&D to take place, equipment are crucial and government alone cannot provide all those equipments, all those opportunities.
“So now go to the private sector. What can they do to assist in this direction as part of their corporate social responsibilities. We have been preaching this gospel for a very long period of time and I am afraid only one company, the PZ Cusson Nigeria Ltd has keyed in.”
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, PZ Cusson Nigeria PLC, Dimitris Kostianis said the project was the demonstration of its alignment with the mission and vision of NOTAP technology acquisition and developing local capacity through domestication of the acquired technical know-how.
Represented by Commercial Director of the company, Rajkumar Kale, the CEO said it has provided similar interventions in four universities and one research centre namely: Modibbo Adamawa University, Yola, University of Calabar, National Research for Chemical Technology, Zaria (NARICT), Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.
“Our support in the NOTAP endeavour also covers fellowships for PhD programme under the NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF). We have sponsored 4 candidates, Two are currently undergoing the programme with a year or two to complete.
“We have also sent research topics of interest to our operations awaiting rigorous selection of candidates for future sponsorships. These projects are spread across the six-geopolitical zones. Our focus is on chemistry and chemical engineering,” he stated.
In their separate remarks, the Vice Chancellors of the benefiting universities pledged to put the equipment to proper use for attainment of objectives of the company and the regulator while expressing readiness to collaborate with the industry to promote research as well as development.
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