Nigeria, Czech Republic commit N9bn to fund tech research and developments
…AS Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) Announces 25 Winners of R&D Project Proposals on Delta-2 programme to be funded in 2023.
The Chairman Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer Between Nigeria & Czech Republic (PIC), Dr. Mohammed Dahiru has said that as a direct intervention fund to boost research and development (R&Ds) based economic activities in Nigeria, leading to commercially viable businesses, the partnership between the Czech Republic and Nigeria is yielding a whooping N9.Billion Naira direct support for Twenty five (25) Nigeria registered companies to start off in the country under the Delta-2 programme.
The official announcement of results of successful top 25 applicants and 5 on waiting list under the Delta-2 Programme, CZECH-Nigeria Bilateral Co-Funding R&Ds for year 2023, held at the Technology Orientation Centre (TOC), NASENI Headquarters, Abuja.
At the event, Dr. Dahiru disclosed that the 25 companies who scaled evaluation process of the assessment committee criteria will receive funding from the Czech Republic-Nigeria Co-funding R&Ds project next year, 2023.
The Czech Republic Government is supporting Nigeria technology based enterprises with 10 million Dollars (N4.5 Billion Naira equivalents) with also a match-up fund of same amount already approved by the Federal Government through the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
In his opening remarks, the Co-Chair of the Presidential Implementation Committee and also the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Engr. Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, who joined the event via zoom, said the evaluation of the proposal was carried out diligently by members of the Assessment Committee under the auspices of the PIC, who were selected from Nigeria Academy of Science, Nigeria Academy of Engineering (as research experts) and the Nigeria-Czech Republic Trade and Investment Council ( as business experts).
According to Prof. Haruna “the process was well articulated, transparent and well-coordinated by experts in both fields of research and business and ably assisted by the PIC Secretariat. Speaking further, the NASENI EVC/CE said “to the best of my knowledge, this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that private sector, academia and the public sector are collaborating to jointly submit research and development proposals with work-plans for commercialization and mass production from the onset backed by business plans”, He explained.
The NASENI Boss however, affirmed that “this cooperation between Nigeria and the Czech Republic and the collaboration between NASENI and TA CR is teaching us methods of deploying applied research and the best option to forge marriage between private sector, academia and the government otherwise known as the Triple Helix”.
It could be recalled that PIC announced the Call for Proposals for Joint R&D Projects under the coordination of the TA CR and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for the Delta-2 Programme in May, 2022. Following the call, a total of 285 proposals were received from which 117 were admitted into the Evaluation and Scoring process by the Coordinating Committee based on the eligibility criteria, which included usefulness of the project and its contribution to fulfilling the goals of the 3 priority areas (Agriculture and Food Technology, Mining and Industrial Development and General Manufacturing for SMEs Development).
Out of the 117, the maximum number of projects fundable under the current call for proposals under the Nigerian-Czech joint call were twenty-five (25) while five (5) proposals are on waiting list.
The Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC) on Technology Transfer /Information Exchange between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Czech Republic on Delta-2 Programme is tasked with the sole objective of implementing that activities of an Agreement signed between Nigeria, represented by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Czech Republic, represented by Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR). The Agreement is to promote the adoption and development of technology solution in different sectors of Nigeria.
Dr. Dahiru, said the PIC Work-Plan for 2021-2024 focuses on fostering infrastructural development in agriculture, mining and general manufacturing ( especially for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
According to him, in line with the focus of Delta-2 Programme, other projects under the programme have been finalized and were at different stages of implementation. “Our relationship with TA CR led the PIC to open the 4th Call for Proposal for Joint R&D Projects between NASENI and TACR under Delta-2P Programme on 18th May, 2022 and closed on 13th July, 2022”
He noted that the joint R&D project focuses on providing local companies/organizations with the right technological solution and platform to expand their business opportunities in order to develop local content, production and manufacturing of local goods and services in Nigeria, thereby controlling the over dependence of the country on imported goods and services. “It is an avenue to move ideas from the laboratories to Nigerian markets to maximize the impact of industrialization leading to job and wealth creation and to foster the relationship for international trade between Nigeria, the Czech Republic and other participating members of the Delta-2 progarmme”. He explained.
