President Muhammadu Buhari said on Saturday his administration was depending on the universities to assist in the execution of laudable projects through research and innovation.

Buhari stated this at the 31st convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).

He said: “Naturally, we rely on our universities to play a more active part, especially through their research and innovation endeavours.

“We also rely on them to proffer solutions and elucidate road maps and the trajectories through which government can achieve its laudable projects.”

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The president, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC),  Dr. Suleiman Yusuf,  urged the universities to intensify their engagement with industry, particularly the Small and Medium-scale enterprises(SMEs).

He described the universities as drivers and sustainers of the economy.

According to him, meaningful research and innovation endeavour will add value and boost the contribution of SMEs to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He noted that there was room for more result-oriented and sector-focused collaborative research dealing with specific aspects of Nigeria’s socio-economic and technological challenges and programmes. (NAN)

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