In order to assess the level of compliance with technology transfer agreements in Nigerian, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has announced plans to conduct a technology audit across the country in line with its extant regulatory authority.
Speaking during a high profile meeting between the Office and the MTN Communications Nigerian limited at NOTAP corporate headquarters, Abuja recently, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NOTAP, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi said that the audit aims to evaluate the level of technology transfer and implementation in various sectors, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and ICT, among others.
She stated that the tech-audit is to measure the level of compliance and also ascertain the technologies in use in the country and those that haven’t been registered with NOTAP, adding that any company that deployed any technology without properly registering such with the Office will be severely penalized in line with the act establishing NOTAP.
Dr. Amadiobi further stated that the tech-audit will assist in determining the technology components in the technology transfer agreements, and also as part of NOTAP’s efforts to ensure that technology transfer agreements are yielding desired outcomes and contributing to Nigeria’s economic development.
“This tech-audits process will involve reviewing existing agreements, assessing technology absorption, identifying areas for improvement as well as to know the number of technologies that have been illegally deployed into the country” she noted.
She reiterated that the office was established primarily to regulate the inflow of foreign technologies through the registration of technology transfer agreements but also has the responsibility to encourage the efficient domestication and development of locally motivated technologies.
The DG emphasized that in carrying out its responsibilities, it was observed that so many technologies were deployed into the country without passing through NOTAP for the registration of technology transfer agreements. She added that such practices negates the regulatory authorities and also sabotage government’s efforts in not only fast-tracking technology development but also short-changing the economy.
Dr. Amadiobi noted that in line with the Renewed Hope mantra of the present administration, avoiding registration of technology transfer agreements with NOTAP amounts to economic sabotage which is punishable by law. She encouraged all multinational companies operating in Nigeria to quickly conduct self tech-audit to voluntarily submit unregistered technologies to NOTAP before the commencement of the national audit as any company found culpable will face regulatory sanction.
