By Emma Elebeke

ABUJA—Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu says the proposed Nigeria’s 13-year Science and Technology Road Map is designed to prepare the country to overtake the rest of the world by 2030.

The minister made the disclosure, yesterday, while addressing a World   Press Briefing ahead of  the 2017 Techno Expo with the theme: Science, Technology and Innovation  for Nigeria’s Economic Diversification, scheduled to hold next week.

He explained that the preparation of the Road-Map for the year 2030 is ongoing and has reached the final stage of adding inputs from various state governments and other relevant stakeholders before the final draft is presented to the Federal Executive Council, FEC for approval.

The minister while underscoring the role of science and technology in diversification of every economy, insisted that Nigeria has what it takes to become a super economic power in the world and compete in science and technological advancement and breakthroughs.

He said: ‘‘We are working on the Science and Technology Road Map of 13 years to get to where we want to be. We have gotten to advanced stage but need to distribute it to state governments to make inputs before forwarding it to FEC.”

‘‘Nigeria has the capacity to top the global economic ranking with a clear road map. All we need is to harness the available resources and mobilize the nation to greatness.’’

On the Electronic Voting Device from NASENI, the Minister said a lot of work had gone into  the project and assured that the ministry would approach the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to discuss further on how to commercialize the technology for the 2019 general elections.

While justifying the echno Expo, Onu said the annual event would be used to prepare young Nigerian innovators and inventors on how to commercialise their products and become global brands, adding that the Expo would also serve as a platform to promote made in Nigerian goods.

‘‘The Expo has the capacity of promoting made in Nigerian goods we must continue to do research so as to improve and compete with the best in the world.

‘‘We have what it takes to be greatness in terms of population and resources. We want to show the world that Nigeria is now taking science and technology very serious. The technology we will showcase in the expo may not be up to the world’s standard, but going forward, we will grow and overtake the rest of the world,’’ he said.

According to the Minister, the objective of the event is to create job opportunities and reduce poverty in the country and above all help young Nigerians move away from indulging into all forms of illegality.

He also said that the programme is not restricted to only public institutions but also to private sector and research institutions and organized informal sector.

The one week Expo is expected to commence on Tuesday April 4 and run though the week.