Section 6: Functions of the Agency

(1) The Agency shall gear its organisation and programmes towards the practical implementation of the National Science and Technology Policy to-
(a) ensure that the national research and development system is managed outside the civil service system;
(b) enhance the development and entrenchment of a new research and development tradition in Nigeria so as to-
(i) establish in Nigeria the practice of an open, consistent, equitable, accountable and corporate research management system;
(ii) engender a high morale and discipline in staff of all categories;
(iii) ensure an efficient and cost-effective employment of available resources;
(iv) achieve a high research and development output and revenue; and
(v) make the desired impact on national economic and social development.
(2) Accordingly, the Agency shall-
(a) commission technical feasibility studies and produce plans for the establishment of science and engineering infrastructure development complexes;
(b) establish, maintain and supervise science and engineering infrastructure development complexes and centres;
(c) implement, with the active involvement of relevant Federal and State Ministries, strategies for the generation of private sector science and engineering capital goods industries which form satellites of science and engineering infrastructure development complexes;
(d) develop facilities and capabilities, through its subsidiary institutions, universities and polytechnics, for the following activities, that is-
(i) capital goods oriented research and development work in engineering materials, chemical materials, scientific equipment, engineering accessories, power equipment, engineering tools and environmental protection;
(ii) applied and basic research and development work in new and emerging areas of science and technology, including micro-electronics, computer technology, bio-technology, including nuclear technology, space science and its applications in remote sensing and environmental monitoring, new materials;
(iii) development oriented research in agriculture and forestry environmental conservation, fisheries and animal husbandry, nutrition, human and veterinary medicine, pharmaceutical materials and building and construction materials;
(iv) collaboration with higher educational institutions and other relevant Government institutions, organisations, agencies and commercial industries in the research and development of capital goods and in scientific and engineering manpower training;
(v) such other activities, as the Agency may, from time to time, deem necessary for the purposes of this paragraph;
(e) consider applications for research and development grants made by institutions,
corporate bodies and individuals for science and engineering on the basis of criteria to be determined by the Agency;
(f) encourage the growth of in-plant research and development activities in science and engineering;
(g) publicise the useful results of its research on science and engineering materials and capital equipment, and collaborate with industries to achieve their successful adoption;
(h) provide the national focal point for international scientific affiliations to which Nigeria and Nigerian scientific bodies subscribe, and pay annual and other contributions which are due to such international bodies;
(i) lend support to national scientific bodies and establish a commercial scientific press facility for the local production of scientific and technical books and journals;
(j) through the National Council for Science and Technology and the State and Local Governments, elicit the active participation of corporate bodies, citizen groups and individuals in the establishment of a national science and engineering infrastructure;
(k) invest surplus funds of the Agency in profit-yielding ventures;
(l) carry out such other activities as are necessary or expedient for the performance of its functions under this Act.