- DG Laments inadequate funding as barrier to timely research, progress of institute
- FIIRO is a great asset to Nigeria – Mamora
By Mike Eyibio
The Minister of Science Technology and Innovation, Dr. Adeleka Mamora, has tasked the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), collaboration and commercialization of its research and innovation products.
The Minister reiterated that science, technology, innovation and commitment to public interest are inevitable routes to Nigeria’s greatness.
Mamora, added that the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi Lagos (FIIRO) is a great asset to the nation.
He made the disclosure during his familiarization tour of FIIRO, one of the agencies of the ministry at its headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos.
The Minister admitted that FIIRO as the first indigenous research institute of the country has produced various Research outputs that have strengthened the science, technology and innovation sector in the country.
On FIRO’s achievements, he enumerated some of the products as motor, processed and bottled palm wine, cassava bread, fish feeds, ceramics products, textiles design products, pepper grinding machines and other related machines for small and medium enterprises as well as entrepreneurship training on transfer technology among others.
He stressed that FIIRO, despite challenges of inadequate funding and exorbitant cost of materials has been able to research, produce the items and trained the youths who are now self-employed.
The Minister further said that FIIRO can improved on its internally generated Revenue (IGR) and that of the Country through Collaboration and commercialization of its research and innovation products adding that science, technology, innovation and commitment to public interest are inevitable routes to Nigeria’s greatness.
According to the Minister, FIIRO is a great asset to the socio-economic development and growth of the nation and enjoined the management and workers to continue with their team work in order to improve and sustain the success already achieved.
To this end, he said federal government will ensure that commercialization of research products and funding of FIIRO to encourage its laudable achievements towards diversification and sustainable economy is inevitable.
Earlier, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of FIIRO, Dr. Jummai Tutuwa, said, FIIRO has contributed immensely to research and development (R&D) which is targeted to the industrialization and growth of the country.
She revealed that majority of the R/D products of the agency have been patented and ready for commercialization noting that it will enhance revenue generation and sustainable economy of the organization and the nation in general. She however lamented that inadequate funding is hindering the timely research and progress of the institute and then appealed to Mamora to intervene by increasing the budgetary allocation to the organization.
