Experts have called for deliberate government investment in chemical education, research and innovation to accelerate Nigeria’s industrial and technological development.
Speaking on the sidelines of a forum in Abuja, the President, Chemical Society of Nigeria, CSN, Professor Rufus Sha’ato, says Nigeria must move beyond rhetoric and create policies that give the chemical sciences a strategic place in national development.
From the food Nigerians eat to the medicines they take, the energy they consume and the minerals extracted from the soil, chemistry is deeply woven into everyday life.
But the CSN says the country is yet to fully harness the potential of the discipline to drive industrialisation, innovation and sustainable development.
At the Society’s 49th Annual International Conference in Abuja, Professor Sha’ato, called for dedicated funding for chemistry-related research through existing intervention mechanisms, including the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TetFund, particularly for projects designed to address specific national challenges.
MUST READ: FG Gives Condition To Intervene In Hike Of Petrol Prices
The call comes amid concerns over inadequate research infrastructure in many Nigerian universities.
Speaking on the theme, “Innovations in Chemistry for Industrial, Environmental and Social Responsibility,” the keynote speaker, Professor Goodwill Ofunne, challenged Nigerian chemists to look beyond the traditional boundaries of laboratories and classrooms and apply their knowledge to solving real-life problems.
Other speakers at the event stressed that chemistry should not be viewed merely as an academic discipline, but as a strategic tool for addressing some of Nigeria’s economic, industrial and environmental challenges.
A major highlight of the conference was the presentation of honours to individuals recognised for their contributions to the development of the society and the country.
Among those honoured were the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa; Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal; and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, who declared the conference open.
(Follow AIT News on WhatsApp, AfricaIndependentTV on YouTube, ait_online on Facebook and X (Formerly Twitter), and officialait on TikTok, Instagram and Threads)
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
