The Nigerian Airforce has revealed that a rocket launcher made by its researchers and engineers is used in fighting Boko Haram and other insurgents in the northeast.
The Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Oladayo-Amao disclosed this during the disbursement of the NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship, NITTF, award letters and presentation of patent certificates in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to Daily Trust, 41 fresh patents were issued to Nigerian researchers and inventors at the event.
Mr Amao who was represented by the Nigerian Air force’s Chief of Standard and Evaluation, COSE, Olusegun Risalvato-Philip, stated that the rocket launcher which had already been mass produced was wholly owned by the NAF.
“What Nigerians don’t know is that the rocket launcher we currently use in the fight against insurgency in the northeast was developed and made in Nigeria here by the Nigerian Airforce (NAF),” he added.
According to the Airforce chief, the NAF has the highest number of technological and scientific innovations among the three military services in the country.
Mr Amao said the rocket launcher which has been patented by the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, NOTAP, was as good and effective as any other made by foreign companies.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mohammed H. Abdullahi said the federal government was not relenting in its effort to reduce the importation of goods and products that could be produced in Nigeria.
Mr Abdullahi also said the government would work to smoothen the relationship between academic and industry to facilitate technology transfer process.
According to the minister, Nigeria’s weak culture of Intellectual Property protection and lack of synergy between the academic and private sector had resulted in absence of value creation and stagnated economy.
He added that the federal government, through NOTAP had issued about 308 patents to Nigerian researchers and inventors.
This, he said, has no doubt set the country on the path of economic and technological greatness.
