PROF. TURNER T. ISOUN HON. MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NIGERIA

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1 THE WORLD CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE (WCS) FOLLOW-UP SYMPOSIUM: HARNESSING SCIENCE FOR SOCIETY: FURTHER PARTNERSHIPS ORGANIZED BY UNESCO IN COLLABORATION WITH TWAS AND ICSU (VENICE: 2-5 MARCH, 2005) ADVISING GOVERNMENTS ON SCIENTIFIC ISSUES OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE: A FRONT ITEM OF THE AGENDA BY PROF. TURNER T. ISOUN HON. MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NIGERIA

2 POLITICAL VISION AND INFORMED LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA, 1999 DATE 1. The Obasanjo Administration has initiated bold, pragmatic ongoing political, social and economic reforms, viz. Public Service Reforms to enhance Productivity, Efficiency, Accountability, Equity and Justice National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) Initiative to promote: Diversification of the National Economy Employment Generation Wealth Creation Poverty Reduction Value Re-orientation etc

3 POLITICAL VISION AND INFORMED LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA, 1999 DATE (CONT D) Deregulation and Liberalization of Nigeria s current Public Sector-Led Economy to one that is more Productive, Diversified, Private Sector-Led. Integrated Capacity Building Programmes (Human, Infrastructural, and Institutional) Programmes to Ensure Global Competitiveness in National Flagship Programmes (ICT, Biotech, Space). Honorary Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology Set Up in Membership composed of world renowned Science and Technology (S&T) professionals from Nigeria and abroad. On going Comprehensive Reform of Nigeria s Science, Technology and Innovation System (UNESCO-Nigeria Joint Programme) to cover: All 75 government Research Establishments 55 Universities and 44 Polytechnics Private Research Establishments.

4 POLITICAL VISION AND INFORMED LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA, 1999 DATE (CONT D) Government has initiated Policies and Established Relevant Implementing Agencies for Three Flagship S&T Programmes in: ICT, Biotech, and Space Technology to Leapfrog Nigeria s Entry into the Global Knowledge Economy. Nine other Draft Sectoral Policies on S&T in place. These Policies include: - Promotion of R&D Friendly, S&T Based SMEs - Engineering Materials R&D - Energy Research and Development - Intellectual Property Rights - S&T Data Bank - Integrated Capacity Building - Partnership and Cooperation of S&T Professionals across Public- Private and Domestic-International Divides - Promotion of Cooperation between S&T Line Ministries - Traditional Medicine R&D

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6 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) A. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 1. Formulation and Adoption of ICT-Friendly National Policies (Tele- communications, Information Technology, Broadcasting, Space Science and Technology). Deregulation and Liberalization of the ICT Industry. Optical fibre network linking major cities in Nigeria; by both Public and Private Sector Enterprises on-going. 2nd National Operator (Private Sector): massive role out of infrastructure in 32 cities across the nation.

7 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d Mobile Internet Units (MIUs) designed and built locally at 25% cost of the imported counterpart need Public- Private Partnerships. Planning, Designing and Configuring a scalable National Information Infrastructure Backbone (NIIB) to achieve a minimum capacity of 2 Gbps, using a combination of Optical Fibres, Satellite Communications, and Wireless Technology; Promotion of High Bandwidth Physical Connectivity. Additional (12 No.) society-friendly on-going multi-sectoral programmes and projects across public-private, domesticinternational divides (including partnerships with major global ICT giants).

8 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d B. Space Programme: 1. NigeriaSat-1, the first Low Earth Orbit remote sensing satellite built by a sub- Saharan African nation was launched on 27th September, 2003 by National Space Research & Development Agency (NASRDA), an Agency established in Earth receiving station for the satellite is located in Asokoro, Abuja. Useful capacity building project: merit driven process promoted. 2. Satellite data from NigeriaSat-1 being harnessed for numerous multi-sectoral applications. Patronage from both domestic and international sources (Europe, Asia, USA, Africa). NigeriaSat-1 in an International Disaster Monitoring Constellation contributed useful data for managing the recent Tsunami Disaster. International Commercial company set up to market satellite services.

9 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d B. Space Programme: NigeriaSat-2 (remote sensing satellite) with higher ground resolution is scheduled for Launch in Nigeria s Communication Satellite christened NIGCOMSAT-1, due for launch in November, 2006, is being designed and will be built and launched in partnership with China Great Wall Industry Corporation

10 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d C. Biotechnology Programme 1 In a Public-Private partnership, arrangement Nigeria and Trinity Biotech of Ireland will start the manufacture of Diagnostic Test Kits for HIV/AIDS, malaria, Hepatitis B and C within the first half of Intensive R&D will be conducted along public-private divide to optimize the effectiveness of locally produced Test Kits. 3 The Local manufacture of a plant-derived drug (Nicosin/Hemoxin) for the management of sickle cell anaemia will commence this year. This is a joint partnership between Government and an American Company (Xechem International Inc).

11 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d C. Biotechnology Programme 4. Sequestered Centres of Excellence in Biotech R&D being established in selected Universities and Research Institutes. 5. Capacity Building in Taxonomy and Systematic in partnership with the United Nations University, Institute of Natural Resources of Africa is on-going. 6. Six Zonal Biotechnology Development Centres to stimulate the development of Market-driven Bio-entrepreneurship being set up in the Six major ecological zones in the country. Two of the Centres have started functioning.

12 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d D. SHEDA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX (SHESTCO) FACILITIES (CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE) SHESTCO is home to the Advanced Physics, Chemistry and Biotechnology Laboratories all of which are serving as Centres of Excellence. The National Mathematical Centre (Centre of Excellence) is located next door to SHESTCO. The Diagnostic Test Kits Manufacturing Plant and the Anti- Sickle Cell Anaemia Drug Manufacturing Plant are both located at SHESTCO. This will promote close collaboration between researchers and industry.

13 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d D. SHEDA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX (SHESTCO) FACILITIES (CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE) Gamma Irradiation Facility (in partnership with Framotome) at SHESTCO will be commissioned in December, 2005 and will promote food security by reducing post-harvest losses. The plant will also improve primary health care through radio-sterilization of medical devices, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products and packages. It will also improve the quality of cable and wire products, plastics, natural rubber through radiation induced cross-linking and improvement of their mechanical, electrical and thermal properties etc.

14 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d E. Commercialization of Selected R&D Findings (On-Going) Food and agriculture Indigenous health products Chemical/Leather products Energy (renewable) Machinery (multiple types) etc

15 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d F. ENERGY MIX With her protracted energy problems, Nigeria is determined to diversify her energy mix through multiple capacity building activities. In addition to oil and gas, hydro-power, for generating electricity, there are other options also:- nuclear, solar, coal, wind, biomass, hydrogen fuel cell, wave and tidal. Some Sequestered Centres of Excellence are in place or being developed for some of these energy options.

16 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d G. Miscellaneous R&D and Production Activities Science Equipment Development Institutes with capacity for producing over 350 scientific equipment for primary, secondary and tertiary education are in place. Products include Primary Science Kits and Technology Kits for Secondary Schools. Public Private partnerships desired. Various engineering infrastructure upgrading and modernization activities are on-going. Multi-sectoral modern engineering design and fabrication projects especially for empowering S&T-based SMEs are being promoted. Partnerships desired

17 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d G. Miscellaneous R&D and Production Activities Value-adding resource-based technologies with many commercialisable R&D findings generated by Research Organizations and S&T Development Centres. Commercialisation activities being intensified. Partnership desired. About USD 200 million provided by Nigerian banks through a Small and Medium Industries Equity Investment Schemes (SMIEIS) available for promoting development of SMEs. SMEs Development Agency also set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

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19 PROGRESS REPORT (SELECTED EXAMPLES) Cont d H. The Place for Technopreneurship Policy frameworks to promote the accelerated growth and development of viable R&D-friendly, S&T-based SMEs are in the offing. These SMEs will embrace ethics and challenges of global competitiveness in national priority project. Domestic and International Partnerships required. The Approach Being Adopted to Promote Technopreneurship involves: i) Technology Incubation Centres (being reformed); ii) Establishment of Science and Technology Parks through Public - Private Partnerships (Pioneer ones have commenced); iii) Need to enhance patronage of Export Promotion Zone manufacturing operations; and iv) Legislation to provide internationally competitive incentives and fiscal measures to attract domestic and international investors for high tech companies are being provided.

20 I. SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER FOLLOW-UP ACTION Need to study possible Traditional African Cultures and 21st Century S&T Culture Mismatches. To create S&T-friendly African societies, we need to aggressively develop educational processes for African children and youths to enable them effectively compete in the 21st century sciencedriven world. Urgent need to promote partnerships to develop and use readily available materials as basic teaching aids for use in scientific observation, deduction and confirmatory experimentation at primary school level to demystify science and encourage attitudinal change. The Primary Science Kits and Technology Kits for Secondary Schools produced in Nigeria need private sector and NGO partnerships.

21 I. SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER FOLLOW-UP ACTION Cont d Promote the following capacity building partnerships aggressively in a focused manner across public-private, and domestic-international divides. S&T professionals need to learn more effective ways of communicating S&T issues to non S&T professional stakeholders extensively deploying the tools of ICTs. Accelerated production of a critical mass of S&Tbased, R&D-friendly SMEs linked to Sequestered Centres of R&D Excellence. Extensive training of African Researchers on technical proposal writing to access the global pool of R&D funds in priority problem areas.

22 I. SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER FOLLOW-UP ACTION Cont d Promote national and sub-regional Techno-Expositions in Africa to popularize the embracing of value-adding entrepreneurial skills and thus facilitate synergies between large and small S&T-based firms. Intensive development of domestic capabilities in modern machine design and building for use by S&T-based SMEs in Africa. Creating opportunities for accessing special venture and development funds to stimulate the growth and development of modern SMEs in Africa.

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