The Vice President, Kashim Shettima yesterday stressed the pivotal role of science and technology in crafting solutions for Nigeria’s advancement through a productive workforce.
Shettima, who spoke at the 5th National Productivity Summit organised by the National Productivity Centre (NPC) in Abuja, highlighted the country’s reservoir of talent, where he expressed optimism in Nigeria’s potential to make significant strides in the global arena through innovation.
The summit was themed, “Achieving Higher Productivity and National Development by Leveraging Science, Technology and Innovation”.
He said that President Bola Tinubu’s strategic adoption of innovative measures and partnerships with leading firms and research institutions was a means to expand the economy and overcome the developmental challenges posed by the missed opportunities of past industrial revolutions.
With the fourth industrial revolution upon us, VP Shettima urged NPC to seize the opportunity for redemption and to compete on the world stage by investing in technologies.
Represented by the special adviser to the president on national economic council and climate change, Rukaiya El-Rufia, the Vice President tasked the centre to contextualise solutions across various sectors in alignment with national aspirations to ensure that Nigeria progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He said, “Our paramount task is to ensure that Nigeria becomes the most conducive environment for our talented youth to make significant strides in shaping the future of science and technology.
The task ahead for organisations like the National Productivity Center is to engage in contextualising solutions and opportunities across a spectrum of sectors, spanning from biodiversity to space technology to innovation. It is crucial to align these efforts with our national aspirations”.
“We must recognise the potential of new technologies in science and technology to serve as an advantage, these advancements can help us leapfrog our solutions and save our economy from implosion”, the VP added.
Reflecting on the history of the National Productivity Summit, which began in 1987, the minister of state for labour and employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha emphasised the need for a concerted effort to address the nation’s low productivity index, which has been a barrier to economic growth and poverty reduction.
She said that asserting that adopting science, technology and innovation remains crucial for overcoming economic challenges and achieving a competitive edge in the global market.
In his response, the director-general of NPC, Dr Nasir Raji-Mustapha called for synergy among stakeholders to address widespread poverty through productivity, leveraging science and technology.