By Emmanurl Elebeke
The federal government yesterday signed memorandum of understanding with three indigenous companies for commercialization of indigenous research breakthroughs on food production.

They include: Tiger Foods limited, Lenof Konsult and Lashone Links limited on food seasonings, ready to use traditional soups, dairy, soybean, cassava processing technologies and mass awareness creation for indigenous research and development breakthrough at the federal ministry of science and technology.

The MoUs are to guide collaboration between the federal ministry of science and technology represented by FIIRO with the three companies on commercialization of the R&D breakthroughs and publicity on awareness creation for promotion and utilization of indigenous R&D breakthroughs.

Addressing the minister, the facilitator of the event and Director General of Federal Institute of Industrial Research, FIIRO Oshodi, Prof. Gloria Elemo described the ceremony as a landmark achievement by the ministry of science and technology.

Elemo said the journey to the point of the ceremony was driven by the mission statement of FIIRO to take advantage of the increasing needs for convenience food; soybean and cassava-based products in Nigeria to upgrade the Institutes’ R&D in these area of food production and package them in forms ready to eat traditional soup and other recipes.

In his response, the minister of science and technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu said with the consummation of the MoUs on three patents, Nigeria was embarking on an irreversible journey of competing with the rest of the world in food production.

‘‘History is being made today. With the commercialization of these indigenous R&D breakthroughs we will be able to have Nigeria restaurants all over the world and enable our diplomats, military and other nationals in Diaspora eat our food on the go and at all time.

‘‘On assumption of office, I realised that we cannot make progress without commercializing our R&Ds. We had then only 6 patents but in one year and today it has jumped to 30, representing 300 percent increase.

‘‘I am glad that all the collaborators are Nigerians. This is a major achievement in that all the monies will be kept here, jobs will be created and local capacity built. This will bring to an end the export and production summersault we experience in Nigeria.’’

The minister who lamented absence of venture capitals in the country called on the partners to take up more R&D results for commercialization.

The MoU was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry of science and technology, Dr. Amina Shamaki on behalf of the federal government; managing director of Tiger Foods, Don Ebubeogu; Chief Executive Officer of Lensof Konsul, Prof. Leslie Nsofor and the managing director of Lashone Links Communications limited, Dr. lanre Shenakan.