Abuja — Nigeria must spend more on research and innovations to be globally competitive and attain the development goals it set for itself in the vision 20:2020 document, President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe has said.

Ibidapo-Obe made the observation at the opening of a US-Nigeria International Workshop on Innovative Design Approaches to Sustainable Buildings, in Abuja yesterday, jointly organised by the National Science Foundation USA and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to devise ways of improving the quality of buildings.

The former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) wondered why rice produced in Nigeria is more expensive than that imported from Thailand, Indonesia, the same for other products from China; and submitted that there was a relationship between investments made by these countries in the area of research and their products.

Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie said the workshop was a bye-product of a Memorandum of Understanding with the George Mason University, USA to provide a platform for interaction between Nigerian Scientists and researchers and their USA counterparts.

The aim, among others, is assist Nigerians understand key issues in the development of sustainable buildings and information technology systems in buildings design.

Prof. Tomasz Arciszewki of the George Mason University, USA, expressed confidence that Nigeria could attain its full potentials through mutually beneficial partnerships between her and other countries of the world.


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