FG saves Nigeria N240b on technology licensing ― Minister

THE National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), an agency under the purview of Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, has saved the nation the sum of N240 billion through technologies licensing in the past six years.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu disclosed this while laying the foundation of the office complex of the agency, on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said NOTAP, which has offices in all the tertiary institutions in the country, has helped in the protection of property rights of innovators and inventors in Nigeria.

According to him, innovation all over the world is measured by the number of patents in the country; NOTAP had assisted tertiary institutions to protect their intellectual property rights.

ALSO READ: Strike: FG appeals to lecturers, pledges to meet demands

Dr Onu further said that NOTAP now keeps the data of all Nigerian professionals at home and abroad, adding that this would afford them the opportunity to utilize their skills for personal self-improvement and national development.

The minister charged NOTAP to work harder to help Nigeria build a knowledge-based economy, stressing that the new office complex would not only benefit NOTAP and the ministry, but the nation as a whole would also benefit as well.

In his opening remarks, the Director-General of NOTAP, Dr Danazumi Ibrahim said that efforts have been made in the past 10 to 11 years to get approval for the project. He, therefore, congratulated the minister for his effort in getting the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to approve the project.

The complex is expected to be completed in 76 weeks.