We have received a copy of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap (2017-2030). We are studying and will discuss contents later. Meanwhile, here is the Executive Summary, from the 197-page tome.
National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap (2017-2030) – Executive Summary
Nigeria is a country that is rife with talent and abundance of natural resources but is yet to achieve its potential in the development and application of science, technology and innovation (STI) effectively in national sustainable development initiatives. The deepest constraint has been non-implementation of effective schemes for propagation of talent and harvesting of the immense intellectual capital of Nigerians which if applied to Nigeria’s economic development challenges, would yield innovative systems and products for sustainable economic growth and competitive advantage over other countries. Oil dominates Nigeria’s trade, contributing about 90% of total export earnings as crude oil, an unprocessed material that does not contribute significantly to other industrial activities. The Nigerian industrial sector contributes only about 3% of Nigeria’s export revenue but gulps overs 50% of Nigeria’s imports, thereby ravaging the country’s balance of payments. It is well-recognized that there are some constraints to the attainment of Nigeria’s comprehensive development plans as well as sector plans, among which are inadequate power supply, limited financing, skilled mismatches and historical social system instabilities
Nigeria needs to diversify its economy by capitalizing on its huge talent bank and abundance of natural resources. This implies stimulation of productive activities and adoption of export mentality in other economic sectors such as agriculture, low-medium technology manufactured products, pharmaceutics based on local biological resources, processed minerals, and ICT services. Focusing on Nigeria’s 2014 Industrial Revolution Plan and many multi-year integrated and sectoral development plans, that targeted intensification of local manufacturing, the primary constraints have been inadequate infrastructure; shortage of skilled manpower; poor linkage to industrial subsectors; over dependence on export of raw materials; the subsistence nature of manufacturing activities without attainment of economy of scale. Inadequate investment in STI to generate new ideas, processes, systems and products that can compete favourably both domestically and in the global market has been a challenge that cuts across all the constraints stated above.
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This National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap (NSTIR 2030) has been developed after detailed review of Nigeria’s challenges and opportunities since independence in 1960 and with fair assessment of future scenarios, to serve as Nigeria’s strategic plan for creation and deployment of STI utilities to national development initiatives, programmes and projects. The overall aim is to use STI as the catalyst for Nigeria’s long term sustainable development in consistence with the National Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation that was developed in 2011. The primary objectives of NSTIR 2030 are: to provide a long-term science and technology framework and support mechanisms for industrial revolution in Nigeria; to facilitate the creation and acquisition of knowledge for production, adaptation, replication, and utilization of technologies to support Nigeria’s technological and sustainable development aspirations; to support the establishment and strengthening of organizations, institutions, structures and processes for rationalization of decisionmaking; coordination and management of STI activities within an institutionalized national innovation system; and to encourage and promote the creation of innovative enterprises that can beneficially utilize Nigeria’s indigenous knowledge and technologies to produce marketable goods and services that compete with others in the global market. Additional objectives of NSTIR 2030 are to coordinate and support the development of science and technology infrastructure to enable significant research for production of methodologies, models and data to support Nigeria’s socio-economic development plans; to devise and implement systems for identification and pruning of STI talent at all ages and educational levels in Nigeria through support and incentives to build a strong long-term workforce; to coordinate the planning and catalyze the implementation of strategic projects such as those of space exploration, advanced computing, telemedicine, robotics advanced navigation systems and, nanomaterials that can accelerate the emergence of Nigeria as a technologically developed country. NSTIR 2030 congeals the STI elements of past and current national and sectoral roadmaps and plans. Among them are those of Vision 20:2020, the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS 2004-2007); 2017 National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP); Roadmap for Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry (2016); the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (2014); the Agriculture Promotion Policy (2016-2020); the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEP, 2015); the National Health Policy (2016); the National Communication Technology Policy (2012); the Draft National Transport Policy (2010); the Nigerian Water Sector Roadmap (2011); and the Roadmap for the Nigerian Education Sector (2009).
Although NSTIR 2030 is a long-term plan, short-medium term events can generate necessary adjustments in the overall plan while the major targets remain relatively stable. Essentially, shortmedium term opportunities to congeal systems toward attainment of NSTIR 2030 will not be ignored. On the other hand, the strategic nature of NSTIR 2030 will aid and factor into the configuration of tactical systems to address short-medium term needs. One of such short-term plans is the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (NERGP, 2017-2020) that focuses on the following objectives: macroeconomic policy improvement, economic diversification, competitiveness improvement, social inclusion, and Jobs creation. STI is an enabler of the planning and implementation of the NERGP 20172020. Apart from the analytical components such as models, simulations, designs and monitoring systems that can support the first three objectives, science and tech-supported entrepreneurship can generate ventures which when given the right policy framework and financing, can create jobs and promote inclusion. The year 2015 was the sunset of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme. Nigeria was active in the programme and used it to frame some of its socio-economic development programmes and projects as described in the 2005 report. Its successor programme-the Sustainable Development Goals was initiated in 2015 to cover the period up to 2030 which is incidentally the timeframe for NSTIR 2030 as well. There is then the opportunity for SDG 2030 programmes to overlap beneficially with this plan.
With respect to implementation, NSTIR 2030 is divided into 7 categories of objectives, each of which comprises several initiatives and projects. The 7 categories which align with the Roadmap’s objectives are Science Policy Support Programmes and Activities; Science and Technology Improvement; Research and Development Intensification; Training and Talent Deployment; Technology Deployment and Commercialization; and Science Literacy Improvement and Public /Stakeholders Engagement. NSTIR 2030 will be implemented in three time segments, namely: Short Term (2017-2020); Medium Term (2021-2025), and Long Term (2026-2030). NSTIR 2030 covers many high-utility projects that will be implemented by the various institutes/centers of FMST in collaboration with industrial partners, universities, other government entities and NGOs. Examples are commercialization of locally invented equipment and products, establishment of the National Science and Technology Agency/Fund, implementation of artisan training programmes, manufacturing of another set of satellites with expanded involvement of Nigerian scientists and engineers, establishment of advanced analytical laboratories and fabrication of several equipment and their components. Research and development support will be given by FMST units to steel development, automobile production, implementation of renewable energy technologies, telemedicine, local drug manufacture, processing of agricultural products, development and application of new materials in infrastructure and individuals processes, and development and economy-wide applications of ICT techniques, as well as several other STI advancements.
As described in Nigeria’s Industrial Revolution Plan published in January, 2014, systems are planned to make industry the dominant job creator and income generator up to 2020. The specific targets are to make Nigeria the preferred manufacturing hub in West Africa; and become the supply source of low-medium-technology consumer and industrial goods domestically, and regionally. The plan which is outlined, covers the creation of 8 general-purpose specialized industrial cities in strategic locations along transport corridors, creation of 6 Technology Innovation Clusters and improvement of services at Nigeria’s 27 Free Trade Zones. These facilities will present more opportunities for scienceand technology-catalyzed industrialization and create jobs for Nigerians with improvement of the socioeconomic services to Nigeria’s growing population which is expected to reach about 289 million by 2030. NSTIR 2030 which has many entrepreneurship elements, will catalyze the production of goods that meet standards specified by international markets in trade agreements.
Budget estimates for the short term programme total N180 billion over the three budget years (4-year duration) with the distribution of Programme Configuration and Planning (1.5%), Stakeholder Engagement Processes (2.7%), Management and Personnel Support (11.6%), Facilities and Equipment (25.6%), Deployment and Diffusion of Deliverables (3.4%) and Project Operations (55.2%). NSTIR 2030 will be implemented in collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders, including academic institutions, public and private research and development centers, the private sector, State and local government agencies, non-profit and community groups, development partners and professional associations using revised and more efficient structures and governance systems that have been ratified by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
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