Addressing post COVID -19 Implications on Nigeria’s Economy

I read with great sadness and concern, the blazing Head- Line in the Guardian Newspaper of Friday, March 27, 2020, titled “Shortage of Food looms over COVID 19, lock down”. First, I want to commend and encourage the wonderful Actions taken by the Federal and State Governments so far to combat the tragedy of COVI 19 and to wish the Governments more grease to their Elbows in the battle to protect the Nigerian population and defeat COVID 19. The Governments should be supported and encouraged by all to succeed. No Politics, No Fake News, No Abuses of one Nigeria’s ethnic Nationality or the Other!

What is happening now, is similar, to the situation which Nigeria experienced in her Economy including basic Food Items production / manufacture immediately after the Civil War under General Yakubu Gowon Federal Administration, from 1970-1975. To address the ugly Food Scarcity situation and the related devastated Economic Development Supporting Infrastructures, and to ensure that such a Situation is not repeated in the future and that if in any eventuality, it does re-occur, then  the Country will be in a better position, to address and confront such eventuality frontally, and defeat it. May be, if Nigeria has anticipated this COVID-19 leveler, Nigeria should have implemented these High -Level Conference 1972/1973 Conference Recommendations.  

What then did General Gowon Administration do in 1970-1975 to confront and address the Food Shortages / Challenges of Economic Development Supporting Infrastructures? The Gowon Administration did the following, among others, namely,

• Organized a High Level National Conference under the Leadership of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) of Who is Who in Science, Technology and Economic Development Activities in Public and Private Sector of Nigeria’s Economy, to deliberate and advise the Governments of the Federation on what to do to revive the Nigeria’s Economy to growth and productivity,
• All Heads of the Federal / State Government involved in Economic Departments in Agriculture / Food Production, the Organized Private Sector (OPS), relevant Directors of Scientific Research in the Economy / Services, both at Federal / States levels, the Leading University Academics in Science, Technology and Economy were called out, among others to prepare detailed recommendation / Advice for addressing Nigeria’s Economy devastated by the Civil War., and
• even my poor self, was called out to leave my Chalk, used in Teaching Physics at the University of Nigeria (UNN) and come to the Federal Cabinet Office Lagos on Secondment from UNN, for two years, in order to serve as the Principal Scientific Secretary / Chief Scientist in the Federal Cabinet Office, in order  to coordinate the High Level National Conferences on Science, Technology and Economic Activities including Food production for Socio-Development of Nigeria .

The High -Level National Conference for Socio-Development / Revitalization of Nigeria, held for one week each, in March 1972 and 1973, respectively. All the two critical National Conferences were aimed at revival / improvement of the Nigeria’s Economy, devastated by the Civil War of 1967-1970 and to launch Nigeria into full Economic growth and development.

In 1972, the National Conference considered and made far reaching Recommendations  on the Technology Needs for the growth and productivity of the following critical Economic Sectors, namely Agricultural Commodity / primary Food production, Storage/ preservation of Food products, Food processing and Agro-based Industries,  fast growing / early maturing food varieties including livestock, food crops, fruits and vegetables production / manufacture in Nigeria, Iron and Steel making Industries in Nigeria, it being known, that Steel is the prime Metal for all moving parts of  a Machine, and the detailed Technology Needs of Telecommunications including the emerging Information Communication Technology (ICT) industries development including new Technology Materials development in Nigeria,

In 1973 the Technology Needs Assessment of the following Economic Development Supporting Infrastructures were considered / addressed, and Recommendations made, namely, Road Transport, Railway Transport, Air Transport, Marine and Seaports, Electrical Power Supply Infrastructure Development among others, were fully considered, and Recommendations were made. Some of the Recommendations led to the reinvigoration of the primary Agricultural Scientific Research Institutions, the  Setting up of AjaOkuta and Aladja Delta Steel Making Mills, the Upgrading of FIRRO from general Research Services to a Food Processing / Preservation Technology production / manufacturing Institution, the Transfer of PRODA, established in 1970 by now the defunct East Central State (ECS), Enugu, and which (PRODA) was already producing Equipment, Machines, Enamel Plates/ Jugs / Tea Cups, etc.  to the Federal Military Government (FMG) for proper funding by the Federal Military Administration, the Establishment of the following Research and Technology Development (R&D) Institutions / Agencies, namely industrial Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) for the production / manufacture of organic Chemicals, inorganic Chemicals and Special Chemicals such as Fertilizers / Explosives in Nigeria’s Economy,, the Pharmaceutical Research and Development Institute for Pharmaceutical Drugs including Vaccines production and manufacture in Nigeria’s, Economy the Federal Science Equipment Manufacturing Centre at Enugu (now Science Equipment Development Institute (SEDI), for Teaching /Scientific Research Instruments, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP),  for the production / manufacture of new Technologies / industrial goods In Nigeria, through Technology Innovation that is modification, upgrading and improving of the existing Technologies, to become new Technologies in Nigeria’s Economy, as was the case of Japan which did not participate in the in the 18^th and 19^th Century AD Industrial Revolutions, which changed the Scope and Complexity of World Economy by introducing new Industrial Goods into the existing Agricultural Commodity / Mineral Commodity Economy of human Heritage. Japan which did not participate in the 18^th and 19^th AD Industrial Revolutions in Europe, however, from the turn of 20^th Century AD, through Technology Innovation successfully leapfrogged into modern Technology / Industrial Goods Economic Global Competition in the World Market of Technologies and Industrial Goods with Industrial Europe and North America (USA and Canada). The Technology Innovation Strategy is what Nigeria should adopt in order to leapfrog into global competitive industrial Economy, capable of producing / manufacturing Industrial Goods in her Economy both for domestic use and for Export to the Global World Market as is now the Case with  China, India, South Korea and Brazil which like Nigeria did not participate in the 18^th / 19^th Industrial Revolutions in Europe. It is necessary to note that these four Nations (China, India, South Korea and Brazil) are now Members of the 20 Top World Economies and that Nigeria is not.  This Situation is what Nigeria with enormous potential in human and Natural Resources should quickly address

However the Aim of this Write up is for Nigeria to try and build her own endogenous domestic Capability and or Capacity for the production / manufacture of modern Technologies  and globally competitive Industrial Goods including industrial Food items / drugs, in order to give a Run to the Asian Tigers of China, South Korea, Taiwan and India, now dominating Nigeria’s Market, that is a Run in the production / manufacture of Technologies, Industrial Goods including Drugs in Nigeria’s Economy, both for domestic Use and for Export to the global World Market to reduce imports of these Goods including basic primary goods items such as Rice / Vegetable Oils, from other Countries. Note the most recent, 2019 Report which states that 65% – 75 % of the Drugs in use in Nigeria comes from Asian Countries in particular, China and India.  Suppose China and India cannot now export these Drugs to Nigeria, what will Nigeria do?  This should serve as one of the important Lessons, Nigeria should learn from the tragedy of COVID-19 Menace.  

I believe that, if the above domestic endogenous Capacities for Technologies / Industrial Goods Development Master Plan, have been successfully implemented / sustained, since 1973, may be, Nigeria by now should have been in a position or prepared , to give CODIV 19, a Run for its Life and to quickly defeat it. However, what the Governments of Nigeria are doing now in the circumstances including CODIV-19 preventing Rules / “Lock / Shut -Downs”, in which Nigeria has found herself, is very commendable, praise- worthy and should be supported / sustained by all Nigerians. I believe that by what the Governments of the Federation are doing now, COVID 19 will soon be defeated and COVID 19 will go the way of all the Viruses before it such as Ebola.  All the directives of Governments including “Lock Downs” and those of our Medical Experts such as hand washing, wearing of Filters, distant socializing and Travel Restrictions, etc. should be strictly obeyed by ALL.

The Import or Purpose of this my Intervention/ Observations is for the Authorities to stand firm on what they are doing now, but also to have a second look at the 1972 and 1973 National Conference Recommendations, to see from them what may be of help in fighting post COVID-19 Food Shortages / Means of livelihood, including Economic Development Supporting Infrastructures of Electrical Power Supply / Roads, etc. resulting from COVID -19 Tragedy and in certain / total defeat of the terrible Coronary Virus. That is the Industrial / Economic Development Lesson, Nigeria should learn and internalize.  For more information on the above Observations / Recommendations arising from the High Level National Conferences on Science, Technology and Economy, of 1972/1973 , one may wish to read the Copies of the 1972 and 1973 High Level National Conferences dealing with the Needs of Science and Technology in Nigeria for Economic / Industrial development of Nigeria. The Copies are still with me / available in my Library, and anyone interested in more information is free to borrow them on a Read / Scan / Return Basis. More Information is also available in my most Recent Book titled, “Technology and Wealth of Nations” dealing specifically  on Technology and World Economy.

Felix N.C. Oragwu, FSAN, MInstP (IOP) London

Former Senior Academic in Physics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN), from 1960s,
Head of Research and Development (R&D)  Planning Division / Coordinator of  Technological Services of the Industrial War Machine that operated in the defunct State of Biafra, 1967-1970.
Retired Senior Director in Charge of the Department of Science and Technology (S&T) Policy, Planning and Development of the Federal Government Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) 1979-1987
Former Technology Development Consultant to UNECA, UNDP and UNIDO