The satellite production and design will be achieved through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project in line with Executive Order No.5. The presidential executive order No.5 seeks to boost local production and ensure that Nigeria relies less on imports.
The Nigerian Government has approved the indigenous production of satellites in the country to facilitate and boost Internet broadband penetration.
The satellite production and design will be achieved through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project in line with Executive Order No.5. The presidential executive order No.5 seeks to boost local production and ensure that Nigeria relies less on imports.
The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh announced this during the South-South dialogue between government and stakeholders in the Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Josephine Ademu, Chief Information Officer (Press) for the ministry said in a statement.
During the dialogue, the minister said that the geo-political dialogues would enhance the productive capacities of each geo-political zone to promote the nation's global competitiveness and productivity.
According to Ikoh, the technology and innovation centres have the task of showcasing the role of science, technology, and innovation in socio-economic development, he added that this will ensure Nigeria moves from a resource-based economy to a knowledge and Innovation driven economy.
He further said that the development of technology Innovation centres will provide the enabling environment for the emergence of tech giants, innovative discoveries and inventions that will accelerate reverse engineering.
Ikoh said, "It is envisaged that the operationalization of the technology and Innovation centres will lead to the emergence of commercial research and development companies, which will, in turn, be used to attract research funding from local companies and venture capital that would motivate Nigerians to go into the field of Science, Research and Development (R&D)."
The minister assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will work hard to ensure the success of technology development in the country and ensure that technological innovations and outputs from Nigeria are of world-class standards.
Ikoh further reiterated the commitment of the government to using Executive Order 5 to empower youths in the Niger Delta region in welding technology, to enable them to compete with their foreign counterparts. He added that this will help curb restiveness and militancy.