The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has disclosed that The Federal Government has opened discussions with multinational companies in the country for the purposes of mentoring Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) operators to boost productivity across all sectors of the economy.
The move, according to the Minister was undertaken in view of the need to provide the MSMEs stronger footing in entrepreneurship. He made the disclosure when Intellectual Property First group paid him a visit in Abuja.
The relationship would be symbiotic such that the multinationals will also benefit from raw materials produced by the small enterprises, the Minister said.
He also hinted on the job creation potential of the partnership, explaining that for Nigeria to boast of a bigger GDP, small enterprises and local investors should have Intellectual Property right for their inventions and protect such.
The chairman of Intellectual Property First, Dr. Umar Bindir, said IP should be taken seriously because it remained a catalyst for economic development, adding that group’s aim is to ensure there is strong and functional IP in the country.
