‘Infrastructure devt key to industrialisation, job creation’

The development of the nation’s science and engineering infrastructure base holds the key to job creation and industrialisation, President/Chairman of Council,  Institute of Business Development (IBD), Mr. Ifeanyi Obibuzor, has said.

Speaking at the “First International Business Development Summit for Africa” in Lagos, Obibuzor said the acquisition of endogenous capability in science and engineering infrastructure would create jobs through the proliferation of industries. It would also enable the country produce basic necessities of life including, but not limited to food and shelter, he added.

The summit with the theme, “Business development in Africa: Regional integration for sustainable comparative advantage” was aimed at bringing together experts, intellectuals, captains of industry, and government officials across Africa to brainstorm on how to harness the continent’s abundant human and natural resources for development.

Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, IBD, Mr. Paul Ikele, said: “We have a lot of resources; we have the manpower, but we are not harnessing it,” adding that it was the first international business development summit. He said last year’s summit was focused on Nigeria, but the Institute decided to focus on Africa this year because “Africa is the next level of the world. We want to bring Africans together; lets us know what we have and then plan on how to develop them"