Musa Pam 
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof Tanko Ishaya has urged Nigerian citizens to reduce their love for imported products and develop the same love for local products to promote technological development in the country.
Prof Ishaya also said local technologies in Nigeria have failed to grow due to the refusal of Nigeria s to patronise indigenous products.
The VC stated this on Wednesday in Jos during the one-day seminar organised for inventors from North Central Nigeria by the National Office for technology acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation.
The seminar with the theme, “After Patent, What Next” was meant to inspire local inventors and the promotion of technological development in the country.
According to the VC, Nigeria, Brazil and South Korea demonstrated great potential for technological development in 1956, but today the other two nations have left Nigeria behind and have advanced technologically by inventing and commercializing their homegrown technologies.
“It is high time Nigerians adopt the examples of developed and developing countries by patronising locally manufactured products as a major way for technological development.
Prof Ishaya also encouraged indigenous inventors to go beyond patenting by commercializing their products to earn income for themselves and the country.
The Director General of NOTAP Dr. Dan-Azumi Ibrahim Represented by the Director of technological acquisition and research coordination of the Agency Mrs
Caroline Anie-Osuagwu said the seminar was meant to stimulate licenced inventors from the geo-political zone to go into international markets with their products.
“It’s not enough to receive intellectual property rights, you are expected to commercialise your products.
“The agency has patented over 300 inventors who are not producing and that is not helping the quest for technological development of the federal government.
Also Speaking the Assistant Director of the Patent Registry Mr Okeke Christian said the agency offers patent certificates free of charge to encourage more innovations and patents in the country.
The seminar was attended by stakeholders from the north-central zone.
