The National Office for Technology logo emphasizing innovation and technology transfer initiatives in Nigeria.
By Eunice Orike
National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has announced plans to collaborate with Cypher Crescent, a petroleum asset management, software development, and engineering consulting firm, under its NOTAP-Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF) scheme.
Speaking at a meeting with representatives of Cypher Crescent at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, NOTAP Director-General, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi represented by Deputy Director, Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination, Engr. Enoch Moughalu said the Office was created to regulate the inflow of foreign technologies while also driving the growth of indigenous innovations.
She explained that the NITTF scheme was introduced to build critical skills in science, technology, and innovation, in order to boost national competitiveness and strengthen Nigeria’s economic development.
Amadiobi described the fellowship as a “child of necessity,” born out of the observed disconnect between academia and industry. According to her, research from Nigerian institutions often failed to meet industrial needs, leaving companies dependent on foreign solutions.
The NITTF, she noted, was designed to close this gap by supporting postgraduate research tied directly to industry challenges.
Under the scheme, companies voluntarily sponsor talented Nigerian graduates who have completed master’s degrees and wish to pursue PhD programmes in local universities. The research topics are determined by the sponsoring firms.
A statement signed by NOTAP’s Public Relations Officer, Raymond Ogbu, disclosed that the scheme started with three beneficiaries funded by three companies.
Adding that interest in the initiative has since grown as more firms began to see its potential benefits.
Amadiobi urged multinational corporations and local companies alike to embrace the fellowship as part of their contributions to Nigeria’s technological and economic development, stressing that it benefits both the sponsoring organizations and the scholars.
Also speaking, Cypher Crescent consultant, Kingsley Okafor, said the company was drawn to the fellowship because of its commitment to building indigenous capacity and finding homegrown solutions to industry challenges.
He revealed that Cypher Crescent, which has previously provided engineering solutions to Oando and other oil and gas companies, has committed to sponsoring two fellowship slots in energy, gas, and mathematics.
Okafor added that the company has already set aside funds for the initiative and expressed readiness to commence sponsorship immediately, provided the recruitment process for the 2025 cohort is still open.
