The Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has unveiled an ambitious vision to make NASENI’s cutting-edge products and technologies accessible to every household in Nigeria in the coming years.
In a groundbreaking announcement, Halilu revealed that tangible products stemming from NASENI’s research and development endeavors will soon be available in the Nigerian market through technology transfer arrangements, with a target of the first quarter of 2024.
Speaking during his maiden television media interaction at NASENI’s headquarters in Abuja, Halilu expressed his commitment to ensuring transparency and focus in NASENI’s activities to fulfill the agency’s mandate. His agenda includes enhancing the human capital potential within NASENI and revitalizing the agency’s image, focusing on its products and technologies.
The era of prototypes gathering dust on shelves within NASENI has come to an end, as Halilu declared that all products and technologies must find their way to the market.
He emphasized a national rebranding effort to introduce NASENI products into every household across Nigeria in the next few years. Additionally, plans are in motion to establish NASENI Showrooms in key cities, allowing the public to experience the technologies firsthand.
Halilu, who has extensive experience in manufacturing and technology innovation, highlighted the importance of transforming research into tangible products that can significantly impact the Nigerian economy. This transformation will be achieved through technology transfer. Notably, NASENI has garnered substantial interest from private sector organizations eager to partner with the agency, recognizing its capacity and goodwill as a government entity.
NASENI’s proactive stance on technology transfer led to a significant achievement during a recent visit to China, where a $2 billion partnership memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed for technology transfer into Nigeria. The same event saw numerous partners express their intent to invest approximately $4 billion in Nigeria’s economy. As a result, the agency anticipates the potential of attracting around $6 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) to Nigeria, with a focus on areas such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Electric Vehicles (EVs), Agricultural equipment, Electronics, and Electrical equipment.
Halilu pointed out that the world is increasingly looking towards Africa for development opportunities, making this the perfect time to enhance economic growth, reduce unemployment, and alleviate poverty. With an abundance of resources, NASENI is committed to adding value to the country’s commodities and raw materials before export, rather than continuing to export them in their raw form.
The agency’s rigorous stakeholder engagements have resulted in substantial interest from various organizations for collaboration and product offtake. The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has already committed to a significant $200 million procurement agreement with NASENI, provided the agency can produce the products they need.
NASENI’s efforts have also led to discussions with the Minister of Science and Technology, as well as the Ministers of Information and Finance, among other stakeholders. Recently, the agency’s management met with members of the National Assembly, particularly the Senate Committee on NASENI, to discuss the agency’s direction and its alignment with government expectations for economic revitalization and the development of the real sector.
With these strategic plans and partnerships, NASENI is set to play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s economic transformation, introducing innovative products and technologies that will drive progress across various sectors.