Former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, has called on the Federal Government to establish innovation funds and technology parks to enable engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs to collaborate on homegrown solutions to Nigeria’s development challenges.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Engineering Assembly, where he served as chairman, Nnaji stressed the need for targeted investments in innovation to drive inclusive growth and sustainable development.
“Creating dedicated innovation funds and tech parks will enable Nigerian engineers and entrepreneurs to build solutions tailored to our local context,” he said.
Nnaji also urged the government to enact and enforce forward-thinking policies that support research and development, protect intellectual property, and streamline regulatory processes. According to him, such policies are essential to promote innovation and accelerate national progress through engineering.
Highlighting the importance of a thriving engineering ecosystem, the former minister called for the creation of an enabling environment that would allow engineering enterprises to flourish.
Nnaji, a professor of mechanical engineering and founder of Geometric Power Limited, further advocated for a transparent public-private partnership (PPP) framework to leverage private sector expertise and financing for large-scale infrastructure delivery.
“Through PPPs, government can harness private engineering capacity and capital, ensuring faster project completion and greater accountability,” he noted.
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