By Chinyere Obiora-Ekwuazi, Henry Ukwadia, Hadiza Abdul Abubakar

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) was strategically established in 1992 as the only purpose-built intervention agency of the Federal Government, having the mandate of nurturing an appropriate and dynamic science and engineering infrastructure base for achieving home-initiated and home-sustained industrialization of Nigeria.

Without the application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), it is difficult for any nation to optimize the benefits of her possession of both human and material resources. Against this background, NASENI has continued to make giant strides in Nigeria’s technological landscape through its eleven (11) Development Institutes, each contributing to the development of STI for economic development of the nation. Nevertheless this is not without some attendant challenges ranging from funding to human capacity building and development.

However, the Agency heaved a sigh of relief when in September 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed a young, energetic technopreneur, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu who has brought to bear his wealth of experience from the private sector to administer NASENI, giving it a new result-based orientation with market in focus.

On assumption of office, he set his goal of transforming the Agency, saying he would make it a central player in Nigeria’s technology revolution by adopting, adapting and domesticating cutting-edge technologies. To build a national brand, going forward, every household in Nigeria will have one NASENI product or the other.

Today, NASENI stands as hope for Nigeria’s indigenous technological advancement, aligning with its core mission of fostering needed dynamic science and engineering Infrastructure for national progress. The Agency under Halilu has articulated a bold vision and promoted shared management-staff philosophy hinged on 3Cs principles of Creation, Collaboration and Commercialization to fuel Nigeria’s innovation and sustainable future.

This approach has indeed opened more doors to result-oriented NASENI partnerships with both national and international corporate communities to foster EVC/CEO’s commitment toward the commercialization of NASENI’s products. In just one year, KSH as he is fondly called, spearheaded unprecedented collaborations cutting across many sectors with local and international partners in both public and private sectors, resulting in numerous groundbreaking agreements, making his vision for viable commercialization and rolling out innovative products for public consumption.

Briefing newsmen recently in Abuja, in commemoration of his one year in office, Mr. Halilu reiterated his resolve to make NASENI “the number One Technology Transfer Agency in the country.” This stems from his earlier promise in 2023 to take NASENI products from the shelves to the market. So far, not less than 36 products from NASENI are already in the corporate market.

During the media briefing, he disclosed the plans to have a showroom where people can walk in and buy NASENI products in retail, explaining that there are already plans to this effect. Halilu further noted that all the products of the Agency developed in the last one year are products of collaborations with strategic partners and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with local content inputs.

The Agency has in the past one year introduced about 36 market-ready products which includes Solar Irrigation pumps, electric cars (EV), Android Smartphone, Solar Home System, Smart Prepaid Meters, Power Stove, Hatchbox, Pick-Up vehicle, Power Storage, Car Battery, Laptop, CCTV, Solar Street Lamp, Solar Wall Light, Electric Tricycle, Mobile Science kit, amongst others.

In addition, NASENI has established one of Nigeria’s largest CNG reverse engineering centre at Utako in Abuja to help Nigeria save cost on fuel products as well as cut fossil fuel emission in line with the SDGs on renewable energy. Also, under one year in office, the NASENI EVC/CEO made sure that the Agency carried out several administrative reform initiatives, such as Rebranding the Agency’s vision; introduced a new vision for NASENI’s brand identity, reposition NASENI with the 3Cs, increased NASENI’s valued investments to USD3.25 billion and launched the accelerated Technology Transfer Framework.

The initiatives also included the development of the Agency’s 2023-2027 strategic launchpad, reformed NASENI’s governance structure, enhanced staff welfare, established an Innovative Hub at NASENI HQ, launched Hatch Box for STEM education, digitalized Agency services and operations and positioned the Agency as Nigeria’s technology transfer agency, provided policy recommendations and contributing to economic growth, reduced dependency on imports and promoted domestic production.

Having attained these milestones, NASENI now is focusing on innovations and homegrown solutions that will contribute to the Agency’s job creation drive and the growth of the economy. Hence the mandate of NASENI to support the diversification of the Nigerian economy and strengthen the Agency’s position in the global technology and manufacturing landscape remain viable options through its accelerated technology transfer initiatives.

Moreso, NASENI has mapped out strategic plans that will upscale commercialization of the Agency’s technologies and products and drive the Nigeria economy in 2025.  Some of these upcoming projects include; NASENI Renewable Industrial Park, MTS (spare parts support), NASENI Holding Company, NASENI Technologies Limited, NASENI Asset Recovery, CGIWC – Land awarded, Lekki FTZ Partnership, Vehicles refurbishment, Small arms assembly, Ammunition production, NASENI Innovation Hub, NASENI Xceler8, Future-Makers by NASENI – 2025, NASENI Public Challenge – 2025, Global Return Programme – 2025, DELT-Her v2.0 – 2025, NASENI Governing Council and NASENI Campus. All these are geared towards economic growth, job and wealth creation for Nigerians.