Abuja – Experts in the technology and ICT sectors have called on the Federal Government to deepen capacity in technology transfer to develop the nation’s economy.
They gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
A director in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Adeneye Talabi, said that the country should deepen the capacity of its citizens in technology transfer to aid the speedy development of its economy.
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Talabi, the Director of Technology Acquisition and Adaption Department, said that such effort would facilitate the movement of many industries into Nigeria.
He said the important of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) regarding transferring technology into the country could not be over emphasised.
“If NOTAP did not exist, foreign technology service providers would have charged anything and Nigerian firms would have paid.
“NOTAP has successfully created many more opportunities for Nigerian companies and people to build their capacity in technology know-how through technology transfer agreements,’’ he said.
On his part, Mr Rex Abitogun, the Chairman of Computer Society of Nigeria, Abuja chapter, said there was the need for the government to create an enabling environment for technology transfer.
Abitogun said that the government should put in place policies that would affect graduates of computer science and information technology positively.
He said that when the policies were in place, computer science graduates would look inward on how to develop solutions to local ICT problems.
Also speaking, Mrs Wummi Hassan, the Chief Executive of Hi-Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youths, said that youths should be trained in ICT to boost economic development.
“When youths are trained, they can begin to bridge the gap and ensure that the next generation does not have the digital divide being experienced across the continent,’’ she said. (NAN)