During the opening ceremony of the 2024 Technology and Innovation Expo held in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu announced that National Centres for Training and Welding would be established in each of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. These centers will be dedicated to the training, evaluation, and certification of individuals in the welding practice. According to the President, welding plays a crucial role in strengthening Nigeria’s economy, and thus, the government intends to promote the application of the National Policy on Welding and Welding-related fields, which was approved in 2022.
Furthermore, the President directed the Federal Ministry of Finance and National Budget and Economic Planning to provide the necessary funds for the establishment of these centers. He also recalled that on assuming the presidency, his administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Cuba, aimed at enhancing collaboration between the two countries on science and technology. The areas of cooperation covered in the bilateral agreement include biotechnology, scientific investigation and innovation, technology development, human resources development, specialist exchange in science and technology, and technology transfer.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, also spoke at the event, highlighting former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s dedication of a minimum of 0.5 percent of Nigeria’s GDP to research and development. He emphasized that the allocation of a specific percentage of the country’s income to Research and Development (R&D) signifies a strategic move towards actualizing the theme of the expo, recognizing STI (Science, Technology, and Innovation) as a solution to Nigeria’s national economic challenges. Nnaji also mentioned that the ministry’s agencies and parastatals have contributed significantly to the growth of all sectors of the economy. He concluded by stating that the ministry recognizes outstanding young Nigerians in the science field every year through the Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award.
