Lack of investment in home grown research and innovations stifling Nigeria’s growth – University Don

Director, Centre for Excellence in Emerging Technologies (CEET), Professor Ibrahim Katampe has attributed the nation’s stuttering development to the lack of proper investment in home grown Research and innovations.

Katampe, said despite the vast numbers of intellectuals in the nation’s tertiary institutions and the poor investment in the issue of research have led to the poor technological advancement of Nigeria and turned the country into a dumping ground for innovations of other developing and developed countries.

Ibrahim Katampe, who is a Professor of Chemistry and currently the Assistant Director for
Innovation & Technology Incubation the College of Engineering, Science, Technology
and Agriculture (CESTA), Central State University, made this known during a capacity building workshop organized by the Faculty of Science, Federal University of Otuoke in conjunction with Centre of Petroleum, Pollution control and corrosion studies (CEFPACS).

Katampe, in his paper titled “role of research, development and innovation in National Development”, noted that recent checks have shown that developed countries partner with University egg-heads in the area of research and innovations in order to solve biting problems inhibiting development, “instead of casting aspersions and dwelling of problems, Nigeria should focus on adopting home grown solutions to problems rather than waiting for outside help.”

He called for partnership between the academic communities of Nigerian Universities and the Government in the area of research and innovations to promote proper and guided development.

Also commenting on the issue, the Deputy Director, Research and Quality Assurance of the FUO, Dr. Eni-yimini .S. Agoro noted that instead of mourning during the Covid-19 pandemic, innovative nations and organizations have turned the ugly situation to “dollar machine”. This was achieved squarely by research and innovation.

“Nations and organizations that prioritize research and innovation are miles away from those that are adverse to it. The United States of America (USA) budgeted $106.6 billion for research in 2021 as against Nigeria $35 Billion capital and recurrent budget. Meaning USA budget on research is over three times that of Nigeria’s recurrent and capital budget. This is a clear pointer to the retrogression and induction of stone-age mentality we find ourselves as a people”

Earlier in his speech, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Professor Teddy Charlse Adias and the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Iheoma Adekunle agreed that the institution is open to partnership that will bring about researches to solve some fundamental challenges in the nation’s development.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Adias pointed out that issues of research and development is in line with the institution’s vision and mission statement to expand the frontiers of knowledge, declaring that the institution is ready to support activities that will improve students’ and lecturers’ qualities and make them global change agents through creativity and innovations.

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