Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, said the federal government will engage venture capitalists, stakeholders and entrepreneurs to boost innovations in the country.

This is contained in a statement by Josephine Ademu, Head, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, on Sunday in Abuja.

According to her, Onu said this at the commemoration of the 2021 World Science Day for Peace and Development in Lagos on Saturday.

“As a nation, we must change our orientation and pay more attention to science for rapid development of our country.

“By doing this, Nigeria will become self-reliant and be respected by other nations all over the world,” Onu said.

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The minister highlighted policies being developed at different stages of implementation to include the National Science, Technology and Innovation 2017-2030.

Others are the National Strategy for Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development, Presidential Executive Order 5, Leather and Leather Products Policy and Methanol Fuel Production Technology Policy.

He said other policies still awaiting submission to the Federal Executive Council are nanotechnology, artificial intelligence as well as bioethics and biotechnology.

He also spoke about the recently-inaugurated Inter-ministerial committee on the Nigeria Chemical and Material Industry Action Programme (NICMIAP).

He said that observations have been made on the absence of a well-developed chemical industry, which is a major gap in Nigeria’s journey to achieve inclusive and sustainable industrialisation.