Mandate multinational companies to fund research – Researchers

Dayo Adu 

Federal government has been urged to mandate multinational companies operating in Nigeria to fund research in the country rather than from overseas.

Speakers at a Knowledge Sharing Workshop entitled: “Nigerian Petroleum Industry and Energy Transition: Opportunities for Research, Innovation and Development” made the call in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. 

Our correspondent, reports that the programme was organised by University of Ibadan in Collaboration with Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF. 

The Lead Speaker, Dr Moses Omojola, a Local Manufactural in Ado-Ekiti explained that Multinationals operating in Nigeria do not support technological advancement of the country hence most of their research was done in their home countries.

Dr Omojola noted that going by this trend, the industrialisation of Nigeria would not develop because the foreign companies imported raw materials from their home countries instead of researching and developing the raw material in accordance to their specifications to enhance local contents in Nigeria.

Dr Omojola who commended the PTDF for funding research activities in Nigeria, advised that research works should not end up on the shelf but be commercialised for industrialisation drive to solve the nation’s domestic and economic needs.

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On his part, the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Dr Bello Aliyu-Gusau represented by Engineer Olayinka Agboola, from Strategic Planning & Documentation (SP&D) Department of PTDF, stated that the PTDF had eight endowment programmes in different institutions in Nigeria and funded Oil and Gas researches to enhance innovation and technological advancements

The Vice Chancellor, University on Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, noted that research works should be a collaborative link between the academic and the industry to solve specific problems of local raw materials 

Professor Adebowale, advocated that considerable research should be encouraged in the oil and gas industry so as to solve the power problem of Nigeria to boost industries and business operations in the country.

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