Who is Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology?
Mr. Uche Nnaji is the new Minister of Innovation Science and Technology.
Understanding The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology
The renamed Federal Ministry of Innovation Science and Technology was formerly known as Ministry of Science and Technology. Bolar Tinubu modified the name. The ministry is designed to facilitate the development of technological and scientific apparatus that will put Nigeria among the technology-driven economy in the world.
To achieve this mandate, it has 17 major parastatals also known as agencies in several areas of science and technology that conduct research that would lead to the manufacturing of machines or inputs which would be useful for development.
FMST code mandate is research that will give birth to innovation
Uche Nnaji will be suceeding Dr. Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology during the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari. Onu was sworn into office by Buhari in November 2015.
Table of Contents
Origin of the ministry:
The first executive President of Nigeria Alhaji Shehu Shagari made history on January 1, 1980, in a new year message to Nigerians that his government created the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
It was backed up by Act No1 of 1980. It replaces the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) which was established in 1976 by the Murtala-Obasanjo military regime.
After the overthrow of the Shagari administration by Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 1983, scrapped the ministry and merged it with the Education Ministry in January 1984.
It became the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology. Gen Ibrahim Babangida reverted the Buhari decision in 1985.
The Most Troubled Ministry
One of the huge problems of Nigeria is inconsistent policy. The change of government means a change of policy when such policy is producing brilliant results.
As such, IBB announced the scrapping of the ministry of science and technology in 1992, it lost all its research institutes and agencies to other ministries.
The same regime established the National Board For Technology Incubation (NBTI) in 1992
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) came on board the same year to formulate and implement Science and Technology policies (S&U).
The S&U was managed and coordinated by the office of the president.
IBB would again re-establish the Ministry Of Science And Technology on August 26, 1993, the day he stepped aside and handed over power to an interim government of Ernest Shonekan.
Subsequently, Science and Technology Unit (STU) in the Presidency became a unit under the resurrected ministry while all its research institutes previously transferred to other Ministries were returned.
Agencies of Nigeria’s Ministry of Science and Technology
Most of the agencies and parastatals under the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Science and Technology are research institutes.
They are:
- National Board For Technology Incubation (NBTI)
- Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN)
- The Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT)
- Nigerian Institute For Trypanosomiasis And Onchocerciasis (NITR)
- National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA)
- National Centre For Technology Management (NACETEM)
- National Office For Technology Acquisition And Promotion (NOTAP)
- Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA)
- National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA)
- Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Abuja
- Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBBRI)
- National Institute of Leather Science and Technology (NILEST),Samaru Zaria
- National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria
- Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Abuja
- Project Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu
- Federal Institute of Food & Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO)
- National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI),
So…when were the above research institutes established?
| Science and Technology Research Agencies | Year of Establishment |
| NBTI | 1992 |
| ECN | 1979 |
| NISLT | March 25, 1972 |
| NITR | 1951 |
| NABDA | November 2001 |
| NACETEM | September 1992 |
| NOTAP | 1979 |
| NNMDA | 1997 |
| NARSDA | 2008 |
| RMRDC | February 10, 1988 |
| NBBRI | April 1, 1978 |
| NILEST | 1964 |
| NARICT | April 1988 |
| SHESTCO | 1993 |
| PRODA | 1971 |
| FIIRO | 1953 |
| NASENI | 1992 |
Roles of agencies of Nigeria’s Ministry of Science and Tech
NBTI
To facilitate the establishment and coordinate the activities of Technology Incubation Centres and Science & Technology Parks which are designed to nurture new technology-based start-up businesses nationwide.
ECN
To plan and coordinate the national policies in the field of Energy in all its ramifications.
NISLT
To advance the science laboratory technology profession in Nigeria
NITR
To conduct research and development of tools and processes towards the control and eradication of Trypanosomiasis, Onchocerciasis and their respective vectors in Nigeria.
NABDA
To promote, coordinate and deploy cutting-edge biotechnology research & development
NACETEM
To develop high-level manpower in the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) management to all tiers of government in Nigeria
NOTAP
To implement the acquisition, promotion and development of technology
NARSDA
to promote and support the use of space technology within and outside of Nigeria.
RMRDC
To promote the development and utilization of Nigeria’s industrial raw materials.
NBBRI
To conduct integrated applied research and development in the building and construction sectors of the economy
NILEST
To produce technologists and technicians with sound training for the production of leather, leather products, and other scientific products and their
NARICT
To conduct research in the area of chemical, leather, biochemical, solid minerals, engineering plastics and allied fields
SHESTCO
To conduct Research and Development in the Advanced Basic and Applied Science
PRODA
To advance scientific and technological innovations.
FIIRO
To conduct and promote market-driven research and development for the industrialization and socio-economic development of Nigeria
NASENI
To manage the research and development of capital goods, production, and reverse engineering to enhance local mass production of standard parts, goods, and services required for the nation’s technological advancement.
Departments of Nigeria’s Ministry of Science and Technology
- Technology Acquisition and Adaptation
- Renewable and Conventional Energy Technology
- Information and Communication Technology
- Human Resources Management
- Finance and Accounts
- Planning Research and Policy Analysis
- Health and Bio-Medical Sciences
- General Services
- Chemical Technology
- Bio-resources Technology
- Science and Technology Promotion
- Special Duties
- Reform Coordination and Service Improvement
- Procurement
- Environmental and Science Technology
Core Mandates:
Core responsibilities of the Ministry of Science and Technology in Nigeria include:
- To formulate national policy on science, technology and innovation
- To develop a technology-driven initiative that will immensely contribute to agricultural and livestock productivity
- To use technology-driven innovation for renewable and alternative energy sources for Nigeria.
- To boost Nigeria’s GDP through scientific innovations in the manufacturing sector.
- To assist Nigeria safe foreign exchange through a reduction in the importation of foreign-made products.
- To deploy its natural medicine resources in the development of medicine for Nigerian use.
Contact details of FMST
- Instagram: @fmstng
- Facebook: FmstNigeria
- Twitter: @fmstng
- youtube.com/channel/UCi8G9bsqWI2peA6dwbnVlKw
- Website: scienceandtech.gov.ng
Final thought:
Apart from the Federal Institute of Food & Industrial Research, which has shown impact through its research and products, other agencies of the ministry of science and technology need to do more.
Nigeria and Nigerians need them, they should be engines of technology-driven innovations. They should stop being a burden on the taxpayers’ money.
For instance, the ministry has in as one of its mandates how to use technology for renewable and alternative energy sources for Nigeria, yet the materials and resources are there wasting away while the country remains in darkness.
The ministry of science and technology needs to wake up and face today’s technology and reality.
Featured Image Credit:
- Tech Next
I have a project that I wanted your ministry to sponsor me to execute on eye health. It is a simulator (hardware) as a teaching aids used to teach cataract extraction surgery.
It’s surprising that your ministry cannot do anything for us, especially in form of a loan. I am a member of the Nigerian institute of science laboratory technology which is directly under your supervision, and till now,I don’t have the fund to establish a laboratory of my own.