The Nigeria Innovation Summit 2019, entered it’s second and final day today, Wednesday, August 21, 2019, at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, with panelists, coming up with various solutions to problems identified as cogs in the wheels, of achieving the much desired innovation, to drive up our economy.
Three panel discussions were held, on the following topics; ‘Impact of Innovation, in Economic Development, Strategy, Collaboration and Global Relevance; Innovations in Healtcare Industry; and Emerging Technologies and Technologies and Renewable Energy.
One of the problems slowing down innovation in Nigeria was identified as, poor service delivery, in connectivity, by internet service providers and this is, usually, caused by the destruction, or, theft, of the infrastructure, put in place to make things run smoothly.
Edoyemi Ogoh, Deputy Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity Department, NCC, stated that, the Commission, as a regulator in the industry, will do something about this.
“We will try to push the ‘Critical Network Infrastructure Bill’, at the National Assembly, so that, disrupting communications services from any particular source, becomes an offence. At least, that will remove the aspect of connectivity issues”, Edoyemi assured.
On policy formulation framework for innovators, Edoyemi stated that, unless the technology in the innovation is becoming impacting, there may be no need for policy formulation.
“You don’t need to have a policy unless your technology is becoming impacting. Usually, policymakers hear it, but they don’t think that it is yet an issue, because, it has to show itself as maturing and so, they may not be anxious, to introduce policy”, he explained.
In his own submission, Prof. Lawrence Emeagwali, from Girne American University, Cyprus, pointed out that innovators should not be discouraged, if their innovations fail to address the problem they set out to achieve, as their innovations can be useful in other areas, stating that, this is why open innovation is advocated, as other people, seeing what you have done, might find alternative use for it, to solve other problems.
“Yesterday, I was talking about components of exponential technology that goes into the innovation of an iPhone. You notice that micro-chips were, basically, not a core, until integrated circuits were, basically, incorporated into the Missile Program by the US Army. The lesson we learn from here is that, sometimes, you innovate, you create a new product. If it fails in the general management, it actually, finds use, somewhere else”, he stressed.
Prof. Nii Quaynor, a scientist and engineer, who has played important roles in the introduction and development of the internet, throughout Africa, is of the opinion that, Nigeria and indeed, Africa, should take a look at the role of integration, when it comes to innovation.
“Most of the iPhones you see in Nigeria, today, were not made, in the USA. My point here is that, we could bring that integration role and Alaba (International Market), can spring back because, you will be solving local problems”, he opined.
Other speakers, also, spoke in the same vein. The Nigeria Innovation Summit 2019 was rounded up, with an Award of excellence to MAX Go.
Featured Image: R-L: Tony Ajah, Program Director, NIS, Effiong Bright, The Anchor of the panel discussion, Edoyemi Ogoh, Deputy Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity Department, NCC, Prof. Lawrence Emeagwali, Director, Centre For Management Research, Girne American University, Cyprus and Isioma Utomi, Executive Director, Business Development, Centre For Values In Leadership, Prof Nii Quaynor, Africa Internet Pioneer, Ghana Dot Com, Andrew Nevin, Advisory Partner and Chief Economist, PwC, West Africa and Kenneth Omeruo, CEO, Emerging Media, organisers of Nigeria Innovation Summit, at the second and closing day of Nigeria Innovation Summit 2019, held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, on August 21, 2019
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