The Department of Technology Acquisition and Adaptation (TAA) was established to bridge the gap that has existed between Research and Industry.
The lapse was traced to the absence of a clearly articulated plan showing how Research and Development (R&D) result could effectively be translated into viable industrial enterprise to produce useful products or service for the benefit of the populace. The activities of the Department shall focus and provide guidelines to addressing these impacts through:
- Pursuit of the Commercialization of R&D results for effective research-to-industry linkage using the Technology Incubation Programme;
- Pilot commercialization ventures in collaboration with Private investors;
- Consolidation and improving the activities of Technology Incubation Programme;
- Encouraging and promoting of indigenous inventively and creativity;
- Identifying the current technology Needs in some selected critical sectors of the economy for the purpose of acquisition, adoption and adaptation of appropriate technologies; and
- To generate development-friendly Technology acquisition, adaptation and deployment structure that will support Consultation and Coordination amongst stakeholders to prosecute implementation processes.
VISION
The Vision of the Department is to co-ordinate the acquisition of Foreign and Indigenous Technologies and their application and deployment to Nigeria.
MISSION
The Mission is to ensure that Nigeria is developed technologically through Indigenous Invention/ Innovation and adoptive technology.
FUNCTION
The following are the functions of the Department:-
- Formulation of Policies on and coordination of activities for the:
- Acquisition of technology from the Nation’s Research Institutes and Tertiary Institutions of Learning;
- Assessment and acquisition of relevant and profitable technologies from other countries; and
- Assessment and promotion of technologies developed by indigenous inventors and entrepreneurs
- Design and coordination of programmes for the setting up of incubator industries resulting from technologies outlined on the above mentioned through collaborations with indigenous and /or foreign technical or financial partners;
- Liaise with the legislative functionaries of Government to appropriate laws to protect Nigerian enterprises resulting from locally motivated research and development results or from acquired foreign technologies;
- Liaise with appropriate Federal and State Ministries , their agencies and private sector on matter relating to the translation of R&D results into viable industrial enterprises;
- Co-operate with, as well as monitoring, co-ordination and supervision the following parastatlas/agencies of the Ministry:
- Project Development Agency (PRODA);
- National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP); and
- Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO).
DEPARTMENTAL STRUCTURE
The Department is structured into two divisions, namely:
The Division of Technology Acquisition (Tech. Acq.) and the Division of Technology Adaptation (Tech. Adap.), each to be headed by a Deputy Director.
The two Divisions are further subdivided into four Sections each to be headed by an Assistant Director
They are:
(i) Innovation, Research and Development (IRD)
(ii) Technology Acquisition and Reverse Engineering (TARE)
(iii) Technology Needs Assessment (TNA)
(iv) Technology Impact Assessment (TIA)
A. Innovation, Research &Development (IRD):
Its duties include the following:
- Developing comprehensive data for all inventive and innovative activities for Tertiary Institutions, Research institutes and individuals within the country.
- Designing programmes for the effective integration of viable R&D into the invention and innovation activities of Nigerian Entrepreneurs.
- Developing a functional roadmap for assisting identified and selected Nigerian Inventors and Innovators under the PSCII.
B. Technology Acquisition and Reverse Engineering (TARE):
The mandate/functions are:
- To develop and modify indigenous/local technology into refined and internationally accepted standard quality, technology (i.e. goods and services)
- To adopt foreign and allied technology and adapt them to suit the required or designed conditions/environments in Nigeria, through their appropriate modification/variations in order to produce similar but more effective and efficient goods and services for the benefit of mankind and Nigerians in particular.
- To improve upon existing technology (machineries/equipment) through copy technology approach/technique and the mass production of such machineries and their spare parts/accessories.
C. Technology Needs Assessment (TNA):
The main functions of the Technology Needs Assessment are to apply all scientific and technological tools to formulate Policies, analyze, coordinate and monitor appropriate Research and Development activities aimed at identifying the Country’s Technology Needs and to deploy them for Sustainable National development.
D. Technology Impact Assessment (TIA):
The functions include:
(i) To carry out the technical assessment through appropriate survey normally conducted to investigate how some certain introduced technologies (especially at sectoral areas/levels) impact either positively or negatively with a view to proffering solutions or improving such performance level.
(ii) This is normally carried out by concerted and focused R & D efforts targeted at solving or eliminating the already identified problems/hindrances.