The federal government has restated its commitment to leveraging Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) to drive agro-industrial development and economic transformation in Benue State, following a courtesy visit by the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Barr. Sam Ode, to the Honourable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST), Dr. Kingsley Udeh, SAN.
The visit took place on Tuesday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja and focused on strengthening collaboration between the federal government and Benue State in the area of innovation-led development.
Welcoming the Benue State delegation, Dr. Udeh highlighted the vast opportunities for partnership between FMIST and the state, particularly in the commercialisation of research outputs and the deliberate pursuit of 30 per cent value addition to raw materials.
He noted that Benue State, widely regarded as the Food Basket of the Nation, occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s efforts to transition from raw commodity production to value-driven agro-processing, industrialisation and job creation.
According to the Minister, translating research findings into market-ready products remains a core priority of FMIST. He stressed that STI must be deliberately positioned to support food security, wealth creation and sustainable development at both national and sub-national levels.
Barr. Ode, who was accompanied by the Honourable Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dwem James, congratulated Dr. Udeh on his appointment and commended his vision and leadership at a critical period for Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
He described science and technology as the bedrock of any serious organisation and government, stating that no economy can achieve sustainable growth without sustained investment in innovation and knowledge-driven systems.
The Deputy Governor further stated that as a sub-national government, Benue State is committed to aligning its policies, institutions and programmes with the Federal Government’s science, technology and innovation agenda to maximise impact and ensure coherence in national development efforts.
According to him, science, technology and innovation remain the cornerstone of development, productivity and competitiveness in today’s global economy.
Both parties expressed optimism about deepening collaboration and agreed to sustain engagement focused on deploying innovation, research and technology as tools for agricultural transformation, industrial growth and inclusive prosperity nationwide. The discussions reaffirmed shared goals for progress.
