Nigeria, Iran seek partnership in technology

The Nigerian Government and its Iranian counterpart on Thursday expressed their willingness to strengthen partnership in technology.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, and the Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Morteza Zarchi, made the commitment when Zarchi paid a courtesy visit to minister in Abuja.

Onu expressed Nigeria’s desire to consolidate relationship with Iran, especially in the area of technology.

According to him, both countries have had warm relationship, noting that there is need for the relationship to grow from strength to strength.

“ I must commend you for the good work you have done to promote good relationship between Iran and Nigerian.

“I also commend Iran for her commitment in using science and technology for nation building.

“At one of the conferences I attended representing my country in Pakistan, your minister of science and technology told us that Iran as of last year, was investing 1.2 per cent of your GDP in science and technology.

“ There is that decision to even boost allocation of more resources to science and technology because you understand and appreciate the importance and relevance of science and technology to nation building.’’

Onu said that Nigeria was also working hard in using science, technology and innovation‎ as tools for nation building.

The minister said that science and technology would help Nigeria to use its resources more efficiently to create jobs.

He told the ambassador that Nigeria would be happy to cooperate with Iran.

Zarchi stressed that Nigeria and Iran were exploring sources of revenue by diversifying their economies to technology and agriculture.

He said that Iranian investors were interested in partnering with Nigeria in the science sector.