About the Policy Commission
The current pace of the world’s industrial revolution is so
rapid that countries seeking global competitiveness towards being the world’s top 20 most industrialized are devising ways to actualize the goals by the year 2020.
The recent advancement of Research and Software Development in Asia reveals that in order for developing countries like Nigeria to attain the goals of Vision 2020, there has to be a deliberate and systematic plan to enhance its global competitiveness.
Hitherto, Science & Technology (S&T) development in Nigerian has been regarded as purely public sector affairs. In recognition of the pivotal role Science &Technology plays in a developing nation such as ours, the Organizing Committee of the Eleventh Nigerian Economic Summit included it as one of the 14 Workgroups of the NES.
Areas of Coverage
The Science & Technology Policy Commission is one of the NESG’s 8 policy commissions covering 3 core areas of:
- Bio Technology
- Information Communication Technology
- Research & Development
Activities and Upcoming Events
The Policy Commission (PC) has had several meetings with
stakeholders (Public & Private), made recommendations at the
Nigerian Economic Summit (NES), and held consultations with the Government.
In order to further bring to the fore the importance of S&T development as a prerequisite for the attainment of vision 2020, three committees were inaugurated in 2007 to posit recommendations on the following areas in order to achieve Vision 2020. They are:-
- Creating Linkages between Science and Technology and Entrepreneurs
- Building Competitiveness Through Science & Technology
- Financing Science and Technology, and Research & Development
In February 2008, the leadership of the PC met with the Honorable Minister of Science & Technology. The resolve is thus:
- For the S&T PC to build closer cooperative platforms with Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and strategize to harmonize its activities such as conferences, seminars and human resources and general project development with it.
- To constantly monitor and review cooperation.
- To develop political will and currency towards implementing national policy on commercially focused R&D, local content and capacity building for existing establishments, vis-à-vis skills upgrade, creative and innovative needs-based R&D.
- To develop relevant links between S & T and Education Ministries.
Planned Activities for 2008
S/no |
Activities |
Purpose |
Date |
Venue |
1 |
Policy Dialogue |
Building Competitiveness in Science & Technology |
June 5, 2008 |
Lagos |
2 |
PC meetings |
To deliberate on issues for the Policy Dialogue, Summit & in preparation for NES#14 |
July, August, September, October (every third week of these month) |
Lagos |
3 |
S&T Summit/Stakeholders Meeting |
To bring in stakeholders (Public & Private) to brainstorm and posit recommendations to achieve 2020 vision |
August 7, 2008 |
Lagos |
4 |
NES#14 (Policy Commission Session) |
Brainstorming and Presentation of recommendations |
October 22 – 24, 2008 |
Abuja |
Leadership of the S&T PC
- Co- Chair (Private Sector) - Professor Anya O. Anya
- Co-Chair (Public Sector) - Dr. O.P. Obande, Director, Planning Research & Statistics, FMST
- Facilitator - Maduka Emelife, MD Cisco Systems
- Consultant - Tunde Arogunmati, Adviser, African Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AKTP), British Council
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