Nanotechnology will address  critical problems in developing countries – Okwuosa

Felix Ikem, Nsukka

Okwuosa whose company is the major sponsor of nanotechnology conference and workshop said this in Nsukka on Tuesday during the 3rd African conference of nanotechnology titled “Nanotechnology : key to National and industrial Development”.

Okwuosa said  nanotechnology  scientists and engineers have been developing ways to make use of energy cheap  and safe.

“there are several applications  of nanotechnology in the energy sector particularly in developing countries to address, heath agriculture and energy supply challenges.

“Nanotechnology are being employed to make solar cells more efficient,  cheaper and lighter,”he  said

He said In agriculture nanocapsules such as  quantiunm dot  can be used for  crop protection and  minimize  losses of nutrients in fertilization as well as improve yields through enhanced  nutrients management.

“Nanotechnologycan also help to mitigate environmental pollution as well as improvement  in soil and water,” he said.

The Oil Serve MD said nanotechnology remain the future of developing countries as its vital to close the gap between western world and developing countries.

” Embracing of this technology will increase people standard of living as well as ensure sustained economic growth, ” he said

Speaking,   the chairman of the occasion Mr John Chukwu said Niigeria can not  be left out on the need to urgently embrace advances on nanotechnology because of inherits benefits the country would derived from its application

“the country economy will benefits from implementation of nanotechnology in agriculture,  energy and medical sector.

“nanotechnology is predicted to be a key driver of the technology and business in this century.

” it’s imperative to pursue, explore and attract the opportunity provided by nanotechnology for rapid  industrialisation  of the country .

While declaring the event open, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Speaking Prof Benjamin Ozumba represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Prof.James Ogbonna, said  one of the problems of research in Africa is lack of industrial base such that research outputs are lying  waste.

“Am hopeful that at the end of this conference, something good will be realized in this regard,” he said.

Earlier  the leader of UNN nanotechnology research group and chairperson Local Organising committee Prof. Rose Osuji said universities should be responsibility for building future human capital to ensure that our teeming youth  were  better prepared to effectively tackle challenges of the world today for a better tomorrow.

“Current trends in research  shown that nanotechnology has emerged as the latest frontier for the exploration of science and the development of new technologies”

“Its the desire of the Research Group to fast track development through human and infrastructural capacity building by  reducing the gap between the developed and emerging economies,”she said.

Daily Sun gathered that participants from Russia, China,  South Africa were among participants that attended the conference.