The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has said it would penalize and prosecute Nigerian companies that are importing technologies without submitting the same for evaluation and registration.
The Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, stated this on Monday at a news conference in Abuja.
According to her, by law, every company that operates on foreign technologies in Nigeria is expected to submit its technology transfer agreements to NOTAP for proper evaluation and registration.
NOTAP was established to regulate the inflow of foreign technology through the registration of technology transfer agreements to promote the development of locally motivated technologies.
According to the DG, the Agency is working assiduously to ensure that Nigerian companies are offered the best contractual terms in the acquisition of foreign technologies,
Nigeria is being shortchanged
While noting that the Nigerian economy is being shortchanged through non-registration of technology imports by companies, Amadiobi said:
“Available records show that a greater percentage of companies in Nigeria operate on imported technologies which run into millions of dollars without NOTAP registration necessitated by Law, thereby shortchanging the Nigerian economy.
“By law, it is mandatory that NOTAP should be involved during the technology negotiation stage to ensure that the Nigerian entrepreneur acquires appropriate technology in best contractual terms.”
The D-G expressed NOTAP’s commitment to synergize with companies that strictly comply with its rules, adding that there would be stiff punishment for erring ones.
“The act of not involving NOTAP is shortchanging the system because they have lumped up software and hardware together, thereby not giving room for proper evaluation and registration. Some companies are hiding under non-registration of hardware to avert registration of their agreements,’’ the DG said.
She added that in line with the renewed hope mantra of the present administration, no company would be allowed to continue to avoid registration of technology transfer agreements with NOTAP.
According to her, this would enable the rendition of services commensurate with the money expensed.
What you should know
The immediate past DG of NOTAP, Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, recently declared that NOTAP had through its regulatory role of registration and monitoring of technology transfer agreements saved the nation over N79.6 billion that would have left the nation’s borders as capital flight.
This came as he disclosed that over 90% of the technologies powering the Nigerian economy are imported.
He insisted that the tide must be stemmed to save the nation’s scarce foreign exchange, adding that the world has fast moved away from resource to a knowledge-based economy and Nigeria must not be left behind.
He admitted that the numerous efforts made by Nigerian researchers, inventors and innovators do not translate into products and services.
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