Unilever PLC and Federal Institute for Industrial Research Oshodi [FIIRO] have been reported to be in the final stages of closing a deal which will help FIIRO commercialize some of the research done at the institute.
This was revealed after a technical team from Unilever Plc. visited FIIRO’s Lagos office.
During the meeting, FIIRO’s Director-General, Prof. Gloria Elemo, showed the Unilever delegation some of the research projects the institute has been working on and assured them of a positive outcome.
She claims that FIIRO was well positioned to see to the transfer of appropriate technologies that could catalyze industrialization, she stressed that the technology and raw materials needed are already available. The collaboration is intended to be on the basis of product development and commercialization.
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Elemo made it known that her claims can only be meaningful if organizations like Unilever look inward and invest heavily in the areas of research and development products which FIIRO is an expert.
She further stated: “Many companies come and pick the technologies we have here and we work with them. Today, all the breweries in Nigeria use our technology since sorghum malt replaced barley malt in the brewing industry and it has saved the country millions of dollars”.
Bridget Mayor, head, R&D in Food Development Homecare at Unilever and the leader of the delegation, was amazed at the researches going on in the institute and expressed Unilever’s readiness to tap into some of the researches.
She, however, said her only worry was how FIIRO would be able to ensure that the products are of high quality which will meet international standard.
FIIRO boss quickly calmed the fears of the team from Unilever, maintaining that the products would reach world-class measures.
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