Minister says cost effective energy supply will facilitate economic development

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, says Nigeria needs adequate, reliable and cost effective energy supply to help facilitate socio-economic development in the country.

The minister said this at a meeting with Vice Chancellors of host Universities of the Energy Research Centres under the purview of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Onu said that research and innovation would assist the country to transit from the use of fossil fuels to a more sustainable energy use as well as improved energy efficiency.

He expressed optimism that this would mitigate the challenges caused by global warming and climate change.

“I, therefore, call on the ECN and the Vice Chancellors to develop an excellent working relationship through the Energy Research Centres to promote research and innovation so as to achieve sustainable development,” he said.

The minister expressed delight over the numerous research outputs gotten from these energy research centres.

He mentioned these outputs to include solar water heaters, solar crop dryers, biomass digesters, and solar chick brooders, solar systems for lighting, water pumping, irrigation and crop milling among others.

Accordingly, Onu noted that the annual STI Expo organised by the ministry provided an opportunity where entrepreneurs, investors and financiers meet with investors-innovators.

He said that this meeting would enhance the commercialisation of research outputs which helped to promote economic growth and development.

“I once again reiterate the need for an excellent working relationship between the ECN and the host universities.”

“Strengthening a cordial and warm relationship between research institutes, universities and government is very important for the development of our dear nation,” Onu said.

He further said this was the reason why the Federal Government established research institutes in the universities, adding that both could benefit from one another in the best interest of the country.

Onu also approved and inaugurated the composition of a committee to review the operational guidelines for university-based energy research centres under the ECN.

Mr Edet Akpan, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, read out the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the committee.

He said that the ToR also included among others to carry out the review and bring out how research officers of the commission would attain the rank of professors.

The committee was chaired by the Director-General of ECN, Prof. Eli Bala, with six vice chancellors of Nigerian universities as constituting members and others.

The Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, Prof Lilian Salami, remarking on behalf of her colleagues, said they would be committed to the mandate given to them by the minister.

She emphasised the importance of commercialisation of research output to drive the nation’s development.