LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO NIGERIA

Abstract

Legal implication of technology transfer is fraught with several controversies. Given the unique advantage  of  technology  in  the  advancement  of  mankind  in  general  vis-à-vis  its  destructive negative  imperatives,  opponents  of  its  ideal  usages  argued  that,  in asserting  its  inherent advantages,  its  destructive  disadvantages  is  not  worth  it.  Citing  cases  of  Hiroshima  and Nagasaki in Japan in resolving the impasses of the Second World War, they argued that no sane nation would want to go that way again. The star wars with its attendant control leading to the strategic  arms  limitation  treaty  (salt)  between  the  United  States  and  the  defunct  Soviet  Union was  fraught  with  the  quietest  vigour.  But  then  one  cannot  underestimate  the  unprecedented improvement in the livingstandard of man in all spheres of life, occasioned by advancement to technology. This paper  examined most of the noble advantages of technology and its transfer in Nigeria  with  its  unprecedented  advancement,  in  the  field  of  medicine,  engineering,  biomedics, agriculture, aviation, rocket science, production of weapons of mass destruction, etc. at the same time,  looks  at  its  limitations  as  a  stop-gap  to  prevent  what  happened  in  history  when  its destructive operatives and the rat-race between the two super power, almost led to a third world war  more  than  the  water  argued  that  technology  transfer  does  not  amount  to  mankind assembling  plants  to  bring  together  party  that  were  already  manufactured  in  the  countries  of origin.  The  position  is  that  technology  transfer  must  translate  into  engaging  the  socio-cultural imperatives  of  a  country  to  source  for  social  raw  materials  and  manufacturing  goods  and materials that are of immediate need and relevant to the country in question. The final position of  this  paper  is  that  while  its  acquisition  is  central  to  the  advancement  of  mankind,  countries should be the watchword in its acquisition regardless of its inherent advantages.