The Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), the management team of Silicon Valley Nigeria Economic Development Ltd and the Wema Bank Plc have inked an agreement on possible ways to contribute to the realisation of the Federal Government’s renewed hope agenda.
This came on a day FIIRO also played host to a high powered team from Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Science, China, led by the Vice President Prof. Huang Jun, with the sole aim of exploring possible areas in which both institutions can work together to improve on agric produce and processes.
With FIIRO’s well over 250 research products that can help improve the socio-economic status of Nigerians, Silicon Valley came up with a series of investment ideas in which FIIRO is to play a pivotal role through its research and development as well as its technical know-how.
FIIRO and Silicon Valley after their discussion signed a memorandum of understanding to work together and promote ideals that can empower Nigerian youths, domesticate foreign economic ventures in the areas of agriculture, housing, automobiles and others.
Speaking at the event, the FIIRO Director-General, Dr. (Mrs.) Jummai Adamu Tutuwa, spoke about the achievements of the research agency over the years and how the institute has always tailored its research activities to be in line with the Federal Government’s policies.
She itemised possible areas of mutual benefits to the two organisations as including the production of brake pads, training and retraining of Nigerian youths in the CNG projects, agro allied ventures, especially in the area of food storage and processing.
She added that FIIRO will join hands with Silicon Valley to promote entrepreneurship activities that would replace the quest for white collar jobs by Nigerian young graduates.
In her response, the Chairperson/CEO of Silicon Valley Nigeria Economic Development Ltd, Ambassador Amina Ajayi, praised the courage, ingenuity, professionalism and patriotism of the FIIRO Director General over the laudable achievements earlier enumerated.
Ambassador Ajayi emphasised the readiness of her outfit to work closely with FIIRO. She spoke on her foreign affiliation and the public private sector partnership between her organisation and the Lagos state government.
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She was particular about youth empowerment programmes that will involve the use of FIIRO’s technologies. She added that sizable investment funds are available to execute these laudable programmes, one of the reasons for which Wema Bank is involved.
Special interest was expressed on FIIRO’s CNG drives, adding that CNG gas stations will be established in the six geopolitical zones of the country with FIIRO taking the pilot seat.
The Lagos State government has also expressed its preparedness to support the moves, in as much as it will alleviate the challenges of her citizens.
Also welcoming the Chinese team, Mrs. Tutuwa expressed her delight at the visit, stressing the enormous benefits that could be derived by both countries.
She spoke on some of the landmark achievements of FIIRO in the six zonal offices of the institute and efforts made to extend the same to the everyday life of Nigerians.
She added that experience gained from FIIRO’s working relationships with international organisations and institutions would help to realise improved agro-economic dividends for Nigeria and China.
She said FIIRO over the years has been a major driver of research and development moves to improve Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Products. The work force of the institute has been the hall mark of global best practices, the DG said.
In his response, the leader of the Chinese team, who also doubles as the vice president of the academy, expressed his amazement at the research and development effort made by FIIRO in the agric sector.
He said the China agricultural academy will be making proposals in two major areas.
The first is a joint research programme of FIIRO and the Chinese counterpart together with relevant international organisations. Secondly is to make the maximum use of professionals from the two institutes to promote food processing. He added that the academy would introduce FIIRO’s cutting-edge technologies to Chinese scientists.
He hailed the FIIRO Director-General for instituting so many reforms and infrastructural drives to reposition agency’s technologies for industrial growth in Nigeria.