TheCable

Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of science, technology and innovation (STI), says Nigeria recorded cumulative savings of N5.03 trillion by reducing its imports between 2017 and 2020.

The minister said this at the closing ceremony of the 2022 STI Expo on Friday in Abuja.

He said the figure was derived from the data generated by the United Nations Harmonised System Code and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

He explained that import reduction was occasioned by the patronage of made-in-Nigeria products.

Onu said that due to advancement in STI, the nation had become a home for start-ups, “as technology had been transferred to many of the nation’s micro-small and medium sized enterprises”.

“In the past six years, the country had made a significant breakthrough in providing a remedy to major diseases in the form of drugs and medicine derived from our indigenous natural ingredients,” NAN quoted the minister as saying.

Onu said the country had made much progress in the development of new drugs at different levels of certification, including clinical trials.

On agriculture and food security, he said efforts were ongoing to provide food security, as well as agro-raw materials for industries.

The minister said Nigerian youths have been encouraged to actively participate in the STI sub-sector through studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

On gender balance and sensitivity, he said, “We embarked on gender-sensitive programmes to make STI inclusive”.

”This is to improve the participation of girls and women in scientific research and innovation activities.”

Also speaking at the event, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, said STI had been helpful in the production of solar panels to provide electricity to rural primary healthcare centres.

“Inter-ministerial cooperation is needed to achieve meaningful breakthroughs in the delivery of healthcare services to Nigerians,” Ehanire added.