NBTI Boss Tasks Young Innovators on Research to Accelerate Development
Prof. Mohammed Jubrin, Director-General, National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has tasked young innovators to research on their products for more value addition to accelerate industrial development.
Jubrin made the call on Thursday in Abuja when the Concerned Youth Empowerment Association of Nigeria, an NGO, paid him a visit to introduce the new products by members of the association.
The products are Plantain Vita – a custard powder produced from processed unripe plantain flour, Organic Fertiliser and Coconut Fibre Foot Mat.
Jubrin said more research would enable young innovators to identify additional areas where they could work hard for value addition to improve their new products.
He advised the association to seek for partnership and synergy with relevant government agencies to assist their members to overcome challenges of funding and empowerment of trainees.
He commended their products, especially the custard powder, saying it was produced with high medicinal value, low sugar content and other nutritional benefits.
Jubrin encouraged the group to improve the packaging of the products and their overall composition to make them more globally competitive, which he said could be done through in-depth research.
“Indeed, this is an area where a lot of youths can pay attention so that new products can emerge for their personal economic benefits and the overall economic benefit of our country.
“The uniqueness of the solid organic fertiliser is the high water retention capacity as well as the availability of the nutrients required for an excellent fertiliser,’’ he said.
The director-general urged the NGO to focus on unemployed youths with particular reference on those in the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in its training programme.
He cautioned that children of school age should be trained to appreciate skills but should not be given full entrepreneurial training.
“This is so that they will not be tempted to stop going to school but to complete their education and become company managers rather than factory hands,’’ he said.
Mr Noble Adaelu, the Chairman of the association commended the efforts of the NBTI boss and his agency in promoting innovations of the youths, especially products of his association.
Adaelu said all the recommendations and advice given by the director-general would be fully implemented, adding the purpose of the visit was to get the opinion and professional advise of the organisation.
NAN reports that the NGO is a youth organisation drawn from the six geo-political zones aimed at empowering youths through creative ideas to contribute meaningfully toward sustainable national development.
It is an association aimed at reducing youth restiveness and unemployment through the promotion of indigenous technology. (NAN)
