Following efforts deployed by The Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro, aimed at promoting research in order to provide a solid base on research for development that will culminate into the establishment of a Research and Development Foundation, there could have been no better time than now to emphasise on research.
Considering the non-use of local research studies for development purpose, the nation spends a whopping $1.3 billion (about N624 billion) yearly for the importation of powdered milk remains a huge drain, there’s no doubt that such a capital flight represents a major hurdle for the economy. The urgent need to embark on a well-coordinated and decentralised Research and Development (R&D) driven national programme on dairy and livestock production, according to Bogoro, is expected to automatically change the present malady and move the nation forward.
The TETFUND chief executive recently stated this position in keynote presentation on ‘Reclaiming Nigeria’s Laggard Livestock Subsector: A Modern Dairy Value Chain In Perspectives’, during 9th Joint Annual meeting of Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASAN) and Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) in Abuja. Expressing hopes that a visionary and robust approach is capable of bridging existing gaps between Nigeria’s current domestic production of 526,000 litres of dairy products and its annual demand of about 1.2 million litres.
Since introducing this latest signature project of the R&D by the fund that was formerly concerned with addressing challenges of our nation’s infrastructural deficits in tertiary institutions, the arrowhead of the fund has never rested on his oars to broaden and enlighten citizens on the need to embrace knowledge economy in advancing the frontiers of our economic development.
Since the launching of the R&D Standing Committee, TETFund has been engaged in seeking collaboration with relevant agencies of government in a bid to broaden the prospects of the progamme addressing challenges confronting military operations. Thus, the fund is presently seeking alliances with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Nigerian defence/security sector. Bogoro, who recently visited the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd), explained that defence operations are now digital, hi-tech, laser-guided that involve innovative technologies.
Since launching the R&D Standing Committee (RDSC) on September 24, 2020 at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, with about 13 sub-committees handing various thematic focus outlined in the programme, the committee members in the various thematic areas have since commenced visits to relevant agencies of government for collaboration of the committee, comprising members of the National Assembly, erudite scholars and captains of industry. Speaking during the inauguration, TETFund executive secretary had declared that no nation develop without deploying their research studies to the development of their countries.
Emphasising on the need for R&D as an effective platform towards tackling problems associated with the economy, Bogoro notes that “Asian Tigers share development policy instruments in common which include, but not limited to disciplined and accountable government, heavy investment in human capital, particularly in science and technology, for R&D to drive their industrial development based on export promotion.
“A recent guideline published by The Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) stated that ‘R&D begins when work on resolving scientific or technological uncertainty commences, and ends when that uncertainty has been resolved or abandoned. This will probably include a range of activities, part of which directly or indirectly contribute to the advances sought’. BIS established the fact that the rate of returns from investment in R&D is between 10 and 50 percent.”
In a nation where academics are only engaged in research for promotion towards advancing their careers, the new focus by TETFund is expected to encourage commercialisation of researches in order to develop the potentials of the economy. In a situation where such researches are left unattended to, increased funding for researches is aimed at serving as a catalyst for encouraging an effective platform for rapid development.
Citing the relevance of R&D as an irrevocable option for national development, Bogoro further stated that “the establishment of the National R&D Foundation (NRDF) has become an inescapable option as the largest basket for the sustainable funding of research and human capital development. The NRDF is not a novelty. We won’t waste our time rediscovering the wheel when R&D models that have transformed nations exist for us to adopt and domesticate to suit our peculiar.
“For example, in the UK, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in line with what we are trying to do here, said, “Our commitment to increasing UK investment in R&D to 2.4% of GDP by 2027 and to increase public funding for R&D to £22 billion per year 2024/25 will allow us to make major strides towards this goal. We will use this investment to raise domestic and international business investment into UK’s R&D, increase economic productivity and prosperity through new products, services and Jobs and helping to transform our public service.”
For a nation in want of serious intervention for its development strategies, there is need to reconsidering and exploring various funding options for researches. In the present situation where funding capacity of government is decreasing, the only viable means of ensuring funds are provided is though the engagement of the private sector for support.
Though the present appropriation of N7.5 billion as provided for research in the 2020 Budget by the President Muhammadu Buhari government is a far cry from what is needed. However, the government must be commended for providing such an amount, with the hope that TETFund will reach out to private firms for support as demonstrated by the current efforts of the fund to establish a foundation for R&D for national development.
Yusuf writes from Zaria, Kaduna state
