Former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, believes Nigeria will be as advanced as China in the next 30 to 50 years with the help of President Muhammadu Buhari's drive for innovation.

Onu is one of the 43 ministerial nominees appointed by President Buhari in a list announced by the Senate on Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Onu previously served as minister during the president's first term that elapsed in May.

While being quizzed by senators during his screening at the National Assembly on Wednesday, July 24, the former governor said he was able to make the nation's economy more innovation-driven during his previous stint, with President Buhari's support.

He said the president's Economic Recovery and Growth Plan recognises science, technology and innovation as being at the centre of all economic activities in the country, promising that it'll make Nigeria as advanced as China in the future. 

"We were able to bring into existence a revolutionary Executive Order #5. By that executive order, once fully implemented, Nigeria will have a knowledge economy that is innovation-driven; and in the next 30 to 50 years, nobody will imagine the level of development in our country.

"We'll just be like China is today in terms of advancement and those who travelled to China 30 years ago know the implication of what I'm saying. Definitly, it'll take a lot of time," he said.

President Buhari signed Executive Order #5, entitled "Presidential Executive Order for Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts and Science, Engineering and Technology", in February 2018.

The order directs all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) of government to engage indigenous professionals in the planning, design and execution of national security projects and maximise in-country capacity in all contracts and transactions with science, engineering and technology components.