The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has announced groundbreaking partnerships with eleven Nigerian firms, marking the commencement of the Delta-2 Projects. These transformative agreements, valued at $21.7 million, materialized as a result of the collaborative efforts between the Nigerian federal government and the Czech Republic.
The Delta-2 Programme, implemented by the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer/Information Exchange (PICTT) and spearheaded by NASENI, aims to stimulate research, development, and innovation in Agriculture, Mining, and General Manufacturing sectors, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
During the event held at NASENI’s headquarters on Monday, December 18, 2023, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of NASENI, highlighted the program’s pivotal role in transforming Nigeria’s technological landscape. Emphasizing the agency’s commitment to fostering collaboration, creation, and commercialization (3Cs), Halilu stressed the importance of transitioning innovations into marketable solutions that benefit consumers and end-users.
With $21.7 million earmarked for the selected projects, the partnership will witness a $11.7 million contribution from the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR) and a $10 million counterpart fund from NASENI. This bilateral collaboration, initiated on May 15, 2014, underscores a concerted effort to bolster Nigeria’s technological advancement.
Halilu outlined NASENI’s commitment to generating substantial commercial returns through its investments, projecting nearly six naira (N6) in returns for every kobo invested. He underscored the agency’s mission to leverage technology and expertise to bolster Nigeria’s economic growth, job creation, and technology transfer.
Dr. Dahiru Mohammed, Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Delta 2 Projects, noted that 285 proposals were received from various Nigerian companies. Rigorous evaluations, conducted in collaboration with research experts and the Nigeria-Czech Republic Trade and Investment Council (NCTIC), culminated in the selection of beneficiaries from diverse regions across the country.
The funding, scheduled to span between 12 to 36 months starting from January 2024, is poised to yield patents, pilot plants, technologies, methodologies, and databases that will significantly impact Nigerian farmers, miners, and MSME operators.
Moreover, in a concurrent development, NASENI sealed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PT Saputra Global Harvest for the establishment of Coal-based fertilizers in Nigeria. The agreement encompasses production licensing, machinery and equipment supply, capacity development through personnel training, and adherence to quality standards.
The focus on agricultural development aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for food security, aiming not only for national self-sufficiency but also the potential for surplus food production for export. This partnership builds on the September 2022 MoU between NASENI and Saputra, bolstering bilateral ties between Nigeria and Indonesia while enhancing Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Additionally, distinguished stakeholders including the Minister of Science and Technology and various Senate and House Committee Chairpersons reaffirmed their commitment to enabling legislation and fostering productive collaborations with NASENI.
The initiatives unveiled by NASENI underscore a concerted effort towards technological innovation, economic growth, and agricultural transformation, paving the way for substantial advancements in Nigeria’s industrial landscape.