Nigeria is now recognized by global health organizations for its breakthrough in the production of drugs for hypertension, typhoid, sickle cell anemia snake bite and other ailments using local substances, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, announced in Abuja on Monday.
The minister made the revelation while presenting the scorecard of the ministry of STI showcasing the achievement of the Buhari administration in that sector of the economy from 2015 to 2022.
Although the minister did not list the global bodies that have given their stamp of approval to the drugs developed by Nigeria, he also indicated that the country has made tremendous progress in its effort to produce bread from cassava, a staple in the country.
Mamora said, "These inventions have taken the centre state globally. The ones I remember very well is the sickle cell drug. Nigeria has a very large number of sicklers or carriers of sickling cells. The drug developed by Nigeria has been acknowledged globally. There is also the anti-snake venom that has also been acknowledged globally.
"There is also the typhoid vaccine that Nigeria has produced and has been globally acknowledged. We need to focus on what Nigeria has been able to do especially in the area of health care because outsiders will not come to help us. Nigeria has also developed a payment platform that has been given international recognition," he said at the briefing coordinated by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Mamora acknowledged the increased funding which the Buhari administration had given to the STI sector since coming into power, saying that the gesture had enabled the ministry to explore new frontiers in Nigeria's Research and Development and achieve some breakthroughs that have made Nigeria to stand out.
On what the STI sector had contributed to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product in the last eight years, Mamora indicated that no fewer than 5.7 million jobs had been created by STI-induced projects and programmes, relying on figures made available by the National Bureau of Statistics.
The minister, who was flanked by his Minister of State, Chief Ikechwukwu Ikoh and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Monilola Udoh, said that the jobs came from mining, manufacturing, transportation, ICT, health services and other professional activities spurred by STI.
He announced that the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, FIIRo, has been able to gradually produce bread from cassava, replacing flour use up to 10 percent level at the moment and making more inroads into achieving more in that area.
The minister also listed other breakthroughs recorded by the ministry to include the production of Jet Engine; collaboration with a Belgium Helicopter Company, on Made-in-Nigeria H3 Ultralight Helicopter, developing and producing Rotary furnace; Bricks Moulding Machines, acquiring Advance Manufacturing Technology Equipment for the production of Industrial Machine parts and components; and development and Production of Non Metallic Vehicle Parts Using Kenaf Fibres Reinforced Polymer Composite.
He boasted: "Our future is full of optimism as long as we keep faith and leverage the enormous power of science, technology, and innovation (STI) coupled with demand-driven research and development programmes, projects, and activities for advancing the frontiers of industrialization; nutrition and food security; energy and power self-sufficiency; and maintenance of national defense and internal security. "The fourth industrial revolution will register Nigeria's presence and effective participation if we escalate and sustain current commitment and interest in research and innovation as principal push factors for technological advancement. But we need courage, discipline and focus on fundamental principles of the culture of result-based management logical framework where all policy implementation efforts will produce outcomes with a positive impact on our collective mandate, vision, mission, and core values.
"A new paradigm shift of ensuring that all stakeholders within the STI ecosystem are in strategic alliances especially between the academia/R&D institutes and the organized private sector establishments to facilitate commercialization and innovation breakthroughs and funding as well as enhanced global standards of made-in -Nigerian products and services.
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"The ministry is taking STI and research to the sub-national levels of governance in Nigeria by establishing the technology and innovation centers for global competitiveness in the six global competitiveness Hubs in Nigeria where all stakeholders in the STI ecosystem will remain in constant touch and relate appropriately to advance knowledge and modernize existing traditional technologies for enhanced productivity and poverty alleviation.
"We shall deploy scientific research and innovative thinking for the exploration, exploitation, and harnessing of abundant natural resources and human potential of Nigeria in creating our common wealth for the wellbeing and good of our people," Mamora stated.
