Emma Okonji
The Director General/CEO of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, has stressed the need for collaboration among government, industry and investors, to address the infrastructure deficit in the country.
Amadiobi said this during the National Engineering Science and Technology Essay Competition (NESTEC) awards ceremony organised by the Blue Apple Educational Foundation, BAEF in Abuja.
Amadiobi who was represented by the Director of Technology Innovation and Commercialisation at NOTAP, Mrs. Ada Mokolo Oladunke, also called for the launch of massive Intellectual Property (IP) awareness campaign across the country.
She emphasised the need for the commercialisation of local innovations, stressing it is the ultimate pathway to national development. She said the nation should transform raw knowledge into economic wealth for sustainable development and that the first step to securing whatever idea one has is to patent it.
The National Engineering Science and Technology Essay Competition transitioned from a purely theoretical essay contest into a rigorous, hands-on launchpad for prototype development and commercialisation.
Themed: ‘Commercialisation of Innovative Ideas- The Pathway to National Development’, the event brought together top industry professionals, academia, and student innovators, with a determination to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial reality.
In his opening address, the President of BAEF Akan Michael, welcomed attendees and laid out the foundation’s bold new vision.
According to him, “For the past five editions, we asked our students to write down their ideas, and they did so brilliantly. For this 6th edition, we are taking a giant leap forward. We are moving from essay writing to prototype development and commercialisation. We want our students to leave here not just with certificates, but with blueprints for viable businesses.”