A leading figure in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, Alfred Okoigun, has called on the country to shift its development strategy from dependence on natural resources to sustained investment in science, technology and human capital.
He made the call at the Nigerian Academy of Engineering Technology Dinner, in Abuja.
Okoigun who is the founder of ARCO GROUP, said Nigeria’s long-term prosperity would be determined by the knowledge, skills and innovation of its people rather than its oil and mineral wealth.
According to him, natural resources alone cannot guarantee economic growth, stressing that countries such as South Korea, Singapore and China transformed their economies through sustained investment in education, research and industrial development.
He urged Nigeria to treat education as critical economic infrastructure and research as a strategic investment capable of driving innovation, competitiveness and national development.
Okoigun also called for stronger collaboration among universities, industry, government and the private sector to create an environment where more Nigerians can develop innovative solutions and contribute to economic growth.
