The Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), received delegates from Liberia on a courtesy visit to the Institute on Wednesday, 24th May, 2017. The visit which was facilitated by Mrs. Medinat Adetunji, a Consultant to the African Development Bank (AfDB), had Mr. Patrick T. Worzie, the Assistant Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Liberia as the leader of the delegation. The visit was to seek collaboration between government of Liberia and its relevant agencies with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi on matters of industrialization, utilizing existing and well established technologies already developed at the Institute to promote national and socio-economic development.
Present at the meeting were Prof Gloria Elemo (DG/CEO FIIRO), FIIRO Committee of Directors as well as delegates from Liberia.
The Director-General/CEO welcomed the delegates, and made a brief presentation on the history, mandates, and achievements of the Institute especially on how the Institute has spurred industrialization in the different sectors of Nigerian economy through development and commercialization of indigenous technologies. On the team specific interest in cassava processing, the DG/CEO intimated the delegates that FIIRO pioneered Cassava Processing R&D in Nigeria and has developed over 25 commercializable products from cassava, pointing out that FIIRO has worked on virtually all agro-commodities available in Nigeria and has developed process technologies to convert them to shelf stable products thereby reducing post-harvest losses in Nigeria.
Mrs. Adetunji appreciated the Institute for the opportunity given to the Liberian delegates to visit FIIRO despite the short notice. She commended the Institute for its dynamic leadership, stressing that there is always a new knowledge to learn anytime she visits FIIRO. She hinted that the choice of scheduling to visit FIIRO as part of the major institutions in Nigeria was because of her numerous contributions to research and development, especially in the area of Cassava Processing.
Mr. Patrick Worzie, the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Liberia commended the Institute for the great achievements and its contributions to rapid industrialization of Nigeria through commercialization of its R&D results. He said the team is a technical team comprising both experts and business people most especially in the cassava sector in Liberia. The Minister reiterated that the mission is to learn from the Nigerian experience so as not to re-invent the wheel but leverage on the expertise already existent in Nigeria to grow the cassava sector and other sectors in Liberian economy.
The DG supported by FIIRO Committee of Directors led the delegate on guided tour of Cassava Processing Pilot Plant, Technology Transfer Training Pavilion, Exhibition Dome and other facilities of interest to the delegates. The delegates were excited by the level of technological development at the Institute and concluded that based on their findings, FIIRO is the right institution to work with to fully actualize the purpose of their mission in Nigeria. The delegates were later hosted to a lunch at the Senior Staff Club House of the Institute. The occasion provided opportunities to further interact and engage with delegates on business opportunities. Some partners of the Institute like Nasco Group, Spectra Foods, etc were also invited to the lunch, and had business interaction with the delegates.