By Abubakar Yunusa
About 25 firms have been shortlisted for over $10.5m research projects by the Presidential Implementation Committee(PIC) on Technology Transfer/ Information Exchange between Nigeria and the Czech Republic.
Also, President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI to invest up to N2billion (about USD $5.7 million) in profitable manufacturing and commercialization of successful research products.
The agency will serve as a partner with any willing company on such products.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna made the disclosures during the announcement of Delta -2 results of the bids for the projects.
Haruna, who was represented by the agency’s Coordinating Director of Planning and Business Development, Mrs. Nonye Onyechi, said the firms were shortlisted by experts including those from the Nigeria Academy of Science, Nigeria Academy of Engineering and the private sector.
He said the funding of the projects will last from 12 to 36 months.
Haruna said: “The sum of CZK 250 Million (250 Million Czech Koruna) equivalent to US $10.5 Million has been allocated as research fund by the government of Czech Republic, through the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR) for this project.
“NASENI has approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to invest up to N 2,000,000,000 about USD $5.7 Million in profitable manufacturing and commercialization of successful research products as a partner with any willing company.
“These 25 selected companies shall be receiving their awards in January 2023 in line with the Delta-2 Work Plan. The funding for these projects is projected to last for between 12 to 36 months.
“The outputs of these projects are expected to be of proven technologies, yield patents, pilot plants, process technologies, mass production and commercialization. “
The EVC explained in details the scope of the research projects and how it will have impact on the nation’s economy.
He added: “Projects to be funded under this programme are expected to have direct and immediate positive impact on the average Nigerian farmers, miners and Nigerian business community through development and growth of SMEs.
“The research products are expected to be commercialized by the Principal Applicant/Lead Organizations (where these are private companies) or the Participating Organization/Private Sector Companies (in cases where the Principal Applicant is a University or a Research Institution). 5.
“I must confess that this cooperation between private sector, the academia and the government otherwise known as the Triple Helix.“
He said the assessment of the companies were thorough with inputs from academic community and the private sector.
He said: “The evaluation of the proposals was carried out diligently by members of the Assessment Committee who were selected from the Nigeria Academy of Science, Nigeria Academy of Engineering (as research experts) and the Nigeria-Czech Republic Trade and Investment Council (as business experts).
“The process was well articulated, transparent and well-coordinated by experts in both fields of research and business and ably assisted by the PIC Secretariat.
“To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that private sector and academia are collaborating to jointly submit research and development proposals with work plan for commercialization and mass production from the onset backed by business plans.
He praised President Muhammadu Buhari for the confidence in NASENI, and the PIC secretariat for well managed process.”
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