NAN-H-26
Technology
By Chiazo Ogbolu
Lagos, Aug. 7, 2017 (NAN) An Information Technology (IT) expert, Mr Jide Awe, on Monday advised the three tiers of government to invest in the research of new technologies that would drive development in the country.
Awe, the Chairman, Conference Committee, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Nigeria needed to invest in technology because it is set to rule the world.
“Nigeria cannot afford to take the back seat,’’ he said.
According to Awe, Nigeria must start researching into new technologies that can upstage the usual order.
He said that such technologies would be expected to bring about positive changes in people’s lifestyles.
“The country will benefit from it because the world is going to adopt them; and the earlier Nigerians started to exploit and develop their local strength, the better for the country,” he said.
He said there was the need to have a platform that would look into how the country could use technologies to enhance local needs.
According to him, it will also make the country become an exporter of such technologies and not just a consumer of other countries’ efforts.
Awe said Nigeria would benefit from such by creating jobs, being an exporter and also training Nigerians in areas where they could provide solutions to some challenges confronting the world.
“We can also source some of the local raw materials ourselves to help reduce capital flight, while at the same time competing with other nations in terms of income generation, growth.
“This is the world of innovation; a lot of infrastructure is not available in the country, but we have the human capital that can think and develop new technologies,’’ he said. (NAN)
CAN/JIE/PAD
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Edited by Julius Enehikhuere/Peter Dada