Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology, says the country must diversify sources of energy in order to meet the power needs of the nation.
Onu spoke on Tuesday in Abuja, at the end of a ministerial tour to four agencies under the ministry.
According to him, the nation needs to diversify sources of its energy as it can no longer rely on gas alone.
“We need to include more of coal, hydro, renewable energy; including solar as we are blessed with great sunlight which other parts of the world don’t have.
“We require large amount of energy to drive national plan for industrialisation,” Onu said.
He said the ministry would ensure that National Research and Innovation Council, which is headed by the President, is fully empowered to drive science and technology.
“Our intention in the ministry is to take a bill to the National Assembly, so that we will have a council that can help us drive science and technology.
“Without the council, there will not be a national research and the innovation funds that can be used to support science and technology,” he said.
In his remarks, Prof. Danladi Matawal, the Director-General, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, said his institute had started engaging in research development, capacity building and robust extension services.
He said that engineering materials would be used to provide adequate and affordable housing and road infrastructure.
Also speaking, Prof. Eli Bala, Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria, said the commission would deepen its efforts to promote sustainable energy development through production of strategic plans and coordination of national policies.
The four agencies the minister visited are: Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute; Energy Commission of Nigeria; Raw Materials Research and Development Council and National Board for Technology Incubation. (NAN)