Panel III - Regulatory Problems for the Implementation of Invention
Paper N3.1 - Modalities of the innovation promotion in Nigeria
Ikenna Onyido, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
Abstract: The chemical industry in Nigeria is virtually
in its infantile stage . However, there are two areas in which innovation
approaches would position the fledging chemical industry to contribute
meaningfully to national economic development. These are:
(i) The petrochemical industry: the Nigerian economy is explicitly
mono-cultural in content, depending mostly on crude oil exportation
for foreign exchange earning. The development of the petrochemical
sub-sector has been slow in coming primarily due to the public sector
involvement.
(ii) The agricultural sector: With large population (ca. 120 million)
the agro-industry has a huge but yet untapped potential. Studies
of a basic nature in food processing technologies abound in Department
of Chemistry and Food technology of Nigerian universities and polytechnics.
The paper suggests modalities for enhancing activities in theses
areas, by drawing from comparable experience.
