by Grace Obike,
THE Federal Government has begun the construction of a 79.5 hectares of technology and innovation park.
The park which would be Public Private Partnership (PPP) driven is expected to be Nigeria’s Silicon Valley for start-up and global technology companies.
Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, who made the revelation, said the project is in line with President Buhari’s need to promote the evolution of technologies to help reduce import dependence and enhance local content.
Mamora said this in Abuja at the stakeholders’ sensitization workshop on the development and management of the science and technology parks and the integration of technology foresight in national development.
The Minister who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Monilola Udoh said the government decided against establishing the parks in the six geo-political zones of the country and decided on establishing a model park at the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO) where 79.5 hectares of land was provided.
He added, “The Ministry is already partnering with institutions and development partners locally and internationally to assist in the implementation of the SHESTCO Science and Technology Park. Such organizations include; the World Technopolis Association, UNESCO, Science Parks and Government of Poland, China Great wall Industry, United Kingdom Science Park Association (UKSPA), etc.
“Some of the achievements of the initiative include; the production of a feasibility report and business plan by UNESCO. The Master Plan for the project has been produced and is currently being implemented as we have heard from the supervising Director.
“The Science and Technology Park programme has been globally celebrated as one of the essential tools or platforms that have tremendously transformed the developmental landscape of the Nations that embrace it.”
“This method has been systematically used in China and the result today has transformed China into technological advanced country (with over 120 Science and Technology (S&T) Parks) China through the use of S&T Parks as a regional development strategy has become the Research and Development and manufacturing centre for multinational companies around the World, in just about ten years.
China now produces almost everything ranging from cell phones, automobiles and appliances, etc to international standards.”