News
NASENI Calls on Lithium Batteries Producers to Set Up Plant in Nigeria
National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has called on investors to collaborate with the Agency in local production and domestication of Lithium batteries among other renewable energy solutions.
Dr. Bashir Gwandu, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), presenting a sourvenir to Ms. Joyce Chen, Founder, LEMI Technology, China during a business delegation by visit by the company to the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday July 17, 2023.
Dr, Bashir Gwandu, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI speaking on Monday in Abuja said the Agency was ready to partner with international companies that are willing to set up their industries in Nigeria and start local production of renewable energy solutions, electric vehicles parts and other capital goods that could create jobs and reduce Nigeria dependence on foreign goods that exert pressure on our foreign exchange for the country.
Dr Gwandu who disclosed this while receiving a business delegation from LEMI Technology Shenzhen, China at NASENI headquarters said that “NASENI is already doing a lot in the area of Solar Panel Production”.
He says very soon NASENI will attract solar cell manufacturing to improve synergy with its existing work on solar panel assembly. He said the Agency has held meetings with other companies from around the world with a view to seeking partnership on local production of lithium-based end-products in Nigeria as against the normal practice of foreign companies exporting the raw materials outside the country for processing.
According to him, taking some of the visions of NASENI forward, which is domestication of technologies, capital goods production and commercialization in Nigeria, NASENI would help bridge the technological gaps between Nigeria and other countries, help stop importation of these technologies and encourage local production.
He also said NASENI will be working with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) to encourage development and production of electric vehicles and even conversion of existing vehicles to electric-vehicles as against producing from scratch. In that same regard, NASENI is also in discussion with various stakeholders on promotion of the installation of electric vehicle charging stations on major roads across the country.
“So, we are inviting friends of Nigeria to come here and establish here. We are encouraging those who can come and produce locally. We will give them support and ensure that the investment environment is encouraging,” he said.
The NASENI EVC hoped that this call is an opportunity to partners who want to produce in Nigeria to do so. The Federal Government, he disclosed, “would welcome any company who gets to us first”, adding that on the production of Lithium batteries, the Agency was ready to go into partnership with companies that are willing to establish their factories in Nigeria.
Dr. Gwandu suggested that NASENI and LEMI Technology should work out the areas of possible collaborations in the production of the lithium battery and ensure that all the safety and environment regulations are followed.
While emphasizing NASENI’s priority area to be the production of lithium battery and inverters, Dr Gwandu expressed delight in working out a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LEMI Technology with a view to ensuring safest means of producing the lithium-based batteries, taking into cognizance Nigeria environmental peculiarities.
The founder of LEMI Technology, Ms. Joyce Chen in her speech said the company is ready to partner with NASENI and invest in the country, promising that they look forward to a rewarding relationship with NASENI and the Nigerian government. Other members of the delegation include the Chief Investment Officer, Mr. Rocky Hu; Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Biju Yao; Oversea Business Director, Ms. Monica Liang and Engineer Mr. Lucia Peng.
Giving details of the visit, the Chief Executive Officer of LEMI Technology Mr. Xie Feng expressed his company’s willingness to partner with NASENI through MoU on renewable energy with particular reference to products like solar and television panels, inverters and battery production.
He said Nigeria and China have a brotherhood that spans many years, adding that Nigeria with its teeming population, it is critical for investment opportunities. Mr. Feng added that LEMI Technology has been operating in the Nigerian market since 2018 and had provided job opportunities to Nigerians and have sold renewable energy products to over 200,000 Nigerian households.
NASENI is the Nigerian only purpose-built Agency with specific mandate in the area of capital goods research, production, and reverse engineering in the following broad areas: Engineering Materials, Industrial and Analytical Chemical Materials, Scientific Equipment and components, Engineering Equipment, Engineering Designs and Standardization, and Power Equipment.
On resumption of duty, one of the projects embarked upon by the EVC of NASENI amongst many others was to summon some of the key exporters of Lithium from within Nigeria and advised them to start thinking of inviting their offtakers in different parts of the world who manufacture lithium batteries to start planning to come and invest in the end-product production in Nigeria.
He encouraged them to take advantage of the discussion and harness the first mover-advantage because those who come to invest will be assisted by NASENI through promotion of government policy to limit export of all types of lithium except what Nigeria cannot process to an end-product.
He emphasized that Nigeria cannot continue to export raw lithium if other countries such as Zimbabwe have gone to the extent of lithium processing. He stated that Nigeria should be at the fore-front of battery production since it has all the relevant raw materials including Phosphate.
He stated that in any area where NASENI can attract manufacturers be it in renewables or other areas such as aerospace industries, any company that can come to Nigeria and process the raw elements into end-product will be supported by NASENI. Companies invited for earlier discussion on the Lithium included suppliers to CATL and LEMI of China.
Today the EVC received the first delegation from LEMI of China to start conversation on the local production of various types of lithium batteries and other products in the photovoltaics value chain.
Mastercard has expanded its operations in West Africa by opening its first office in Ghana, in its capital Accra. According to the multinational payments network company, the expansion aims to bolster Ghana’s digital economy and support financial inclusion.
Mastercard says Ghana offers fertile ground for the company to enhance its geographical presence in West Africa, citing the country’s growth in key sectors like agriculture, mining and digital infrastructure.
In addition to the new office, Mastercard has partnered with several companies including Kalabash, KaiOS, Boost, Smile ID, Access Bank and Fidelity Bank to enhance cross-border payment solutions, empower local fintechs and enhance access to digital services for underserved communities.
“Our growth strategy for West Africa is ambitious, and establishing a formal presence here allows us to better serve the specific needs of our customers. We are eager to leverage our global expertise and innovative capabilities to introduce advanced payment technologies in this market,” commented Mark Elliott, division president for Africa at Mastercard.
For Folasade Femi-Lawal, country manager and area business head, West Africa, Mastercard, the expansion is about growing the local economy.
She says: “We are committed to attracting and nurturing top talent and fostering an ecosystem that aims to contribute positively to the local economy and technological advancement.”
As concerns about the use of AI in cyberattacks increase, companies worldwide are racing to bolster their cybersecurity strategies, according to a Kaspersky survey.
In a new study the cybersecurity company revealed that 92% of IT and Information Security professionals surveyed in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region expect the use of AI by malicious actors to escalate over the next two years.
This growing threat is prompting organisations to prioritise cyber defense expertise, with many turning to cybersecurity vendors for specialised support and training.
In its latest study titled “Cyber defense & AI: Are you ready to protect your organisation?” Kaspersky gathered insights from IT and Information Security professionals across SMEs and large enterprises. The findings underscore the urgent need to prepare for AI-driven cyberattacks.
To combat these evolving threats, companies place high value on cybersecurity expertise, with 94% of respondents in the META region highlighting the importance of growing internal expertise through training for in-house employees, and 93% underscoring the need for external expertise provided by cybersecurity vendors. This need spans sectors from retail to critical infrastructure, emphasising a universal demand for advanced threat protection.
To reinforce their cyber protection, organisations are actively integrating both internal and external expertise. Currently, 36% of companies surveyed in the META region are either implementing or planning to deploy external support to adapt to the evolving threat landscape, while 34% are doing the same through internal training initiatives. Additionally, 61% already use external cybersecurity expertise, and 62% have training programs in place, underscoring a dual approach in fortifying their protection.
Cybersecurity vendors’ expertise can come in various forms, from specialised professional services that help organisations deploy their protection solutions, to advanced expert centers that focus on specific security challenges.
One of these centers is the Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center. It brings together the company’s AI research and development efforts, to deepen the protective capabilities of cybersecurity solutions.
Vladislav Tushkanov, Group Manager at the Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center, says: “Our latest survey shows that businesses are acutely aware of the rising threat from AI-driven cyberattacks and are looking to reinforce their protection through comprehensive solutions, including the use of vendors’ extensive cybersecurity expertise.
The Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center plays a pivotal role by helping us leverage AI advancements to enhance our threat protection strategies and explore innovative ways of using AI in cybersecurity. It also enables us to address security concerns specific to AI itself, ensuring that businesses are prepared for the latest AI-driven threats.”
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismantled a fake hotel review syndicate and arrested four Chinese nationals and 101 Nigerians for their roles in the elaborate internet fraud scheme.
Victims were allegedly first lured into rating hotels in exchange for small sums of money.
Eventually they would be encouraged to make bookings in any of the rated hotels for as much as $500.
They were told that the company would pay them back with chunky interest into a crypto wallet bearing their names.
However, the victims would in the end not be able to open the wallet.
EFCC announced that the suspects operated out of Naka Hall Plaza on Abutu Garba Street in Gudu, Abuja, where agents recovered 100 compact workstations.
Dele Oyewale, spokesman, EFCC, said the suspects used fake foreign identities to target unsuspecting victims, primarily U.K. residents.
Authorities said the criminal network was allegedly led by the Chinese nationals, who recruited and trained Nigerian youths with advanced technical skills to act as customer service representatives.
These representatives followed a predesigned script to deceive their victims online.
The operation follows a separate crackdown weeks earlier, in which 792 suspects — including 148 Chinese nationals — were arrested for involvement in cryptocurrency and romance scams.
The foreign nationals allegedly used corporate apartments disguised as business centers to train their Nigerian accomplices. These accomplices were reportedly taught to initiate romance and investment scams and use their own identities to carry out fraudulent activities.
The EFCC also highlighted a concerning trend of foreign nationals instructing Nigerians in internet-related crimes.
Popoola, NGX Group CEO Advocates Pan-African Market
Mastercard Unveils First Office in Ghana
Abia Set to Regulate Right of Way for Telecom Cables
eNaira Makes Appreciable Impact with 57% Rise in Value
Firms Seek Specialized Expertise to Combat AI Cyber Threats – Study Reveals
MTN Nigeria Renews Spectrum Lease Agreement with NTEL
NERC Discloses $5.7 Million Debt Owed by International Customers for Q3 2024 Electricity Supply
CBN, SEC Approve FCMB Group’s N147bn Rights Offer
A beginner’s guide to Temu: Your ultimate shopping companion
Corporate Blackmail, My Story as a Case Study, by Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman Zinox Group
Telecom2 days agoUSSD Dispute: FG May Blacklist 18 Banks Allegedly Owing Telcos N250Bn
E-Financial2 days agoNGX Warns Public of Fraudulent Impersonation by ‘Value Gain’
E-Business2 days agoKaspersky Discovers New Scam Scheme Targeting Businesses on Social Media
General News2 days agoEnterprise Development Fund Launched to Bridge Capital Access Gap
News2 days agoAfDB to Partner LAMATA to Expand Existing Rail System
General News2 days agoUBA Rewards Customers with over N41m in Final Edition of Legacy Promo
E-Business2 days agoNIMC Trains 388 Personnel to Boost NIN Enrolment
Broadcasting2 days agoNLC Shuts Lagos TV, Radio Stations over non-Implementation of N85,000 Minimum Wage