Abuja – The Minister of Science
and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa,
said on Tuesday that Nigeria
would soon start exporting
technologies to other African
countries.
Ewa said this when a team of
experts from the UNESCO paid
him a courtesy call in Abuja.
The minister said the Sheda
Science and Technology Complex
(SHESTCO) “Silicon Valley”, in
Kwali, FCT, would be a zone
where technology would be
exported.
Ewa said that the valley would
not only be the steering point of
development and diffusion of
technology to Nigeria, but also
for African countries.
“We have gone to the drawing
board and discovered that micro-
chips and integrated circuit form
the hull mark and bed rock
through which technology drive.
“We believe that the best
approach to Nigeria is not giving
us fish but how to catch a fish.
“We want the SHESTCO ‘Silicon
Valley’ here to be a unique one
that will not only ensure
technology transfer to Nigeria
but (will) be export processing
zone, where technology would
be exported to other African
countries.
“That is why we have taken time
to discuss with Paris government
and other governments that have
developed their science park,’’
Ewa said.
The minister said that the centre
would be where solar technology
value chain could be used in
promoting the technology in
Nigeria.
Ewa said that was why the
ministry was collaborating with
UNESCO and other relevant
experts to get it right from the
starting point.
He added that the country was
going to develop a practical
roadmap that would guide the
valley even after the end of the
current administration in the
ministry.
Earlier, the leader of the UNESO
team, Dr Voslan Nur, said the
organisation had agreed to
collaborate with the Federal
Government to establish the
valley.
He said the valley would be a
promising project as obtained in
other parts of the world.
Nur described the initiative of the
ministry on the project as the
right step in the right decision to
make the nation’s technology
park a productive centre.
Prof. Deog-song Oh, the
Secretary-General, World
Technopolis Association, Korea,
said the establishment of the
valley would make Nigeria one of
the world technology giants in
the nearest future.
“When we think of African
countries, we always think of
Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
“Now, you are one of the giants
of Africa; you can join the giants
of the world through the
application of knowledge-based
economy like the developed
economies,’’ Oh said.
He said a knowledge-based
economy was the only way any
country could fast-track its
development.
The secretary-general said such a
concept had been demonstrated
by some other countries.
The other members of the
visiting UNESCO team are Dr.
Malcom Parry of the Surrey
Research Park, Gilford, UK and Mr
Han-Sic Cho, the Deputy
Secretary-General of WTA.
The minister and the
management of the ministry later
led the UNESCO experts to
SHESTCO where the site of the
valley is located. (NAN)