The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) has won first position in Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) Competitiveness Assessment Award, with N1 billion prize money.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, made the announcement during consultative meeting with director generals of parastatal agencies under the ministry in Abuja.
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) won N750 million for coming second, while Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) got N500 million to place third.
“The appropriate award has been given. This is to encourage the agencies to achieve more and hence do their best in the promotion of the vision and mission of the ministry,” Onu said.
“I know that only the best can help us build Nigeria that will take the gain of our efforts to the next level.”
Onu added that by achieving giant strides in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), “Nigeria could rise to the mountain top of global acclaim.”
He stressed the need for collective efforts to fast track the movement of the country from resource-based to knowledge-based economy.
The FIIRO Director-General, Prof. Gloria Elemo, appreciated the Competitiveness Assessment Committee (CAC) for the assessment that emerged FIIRO as the best among the 17 agencies under the FMST.
Elemo thanked the ministry for the award and commended the minister “for his encouragement to the agencies to work harder all the times.”
The director general said that the N1 billion won by FIIRO would be used for more research activities in the institute.