By Olusegun Ayeoyenikan
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is mandated to make available in the Nigerian market the primary and intermediate capital products required for machine and equipment design, fabrication and mass production to provide an enabling environment for sustainable industrialization of the country.
The Agency, established in 1992, continues to make progress in Nigeria’s technological advancement space, driving home-grown innovation and improving manufacturing capabilities. It has thus far developed more than 150 innovative products and prototypes bolstered by its Development Institutes and Centres, thus contributing to fostering excellence in science, engineering technology and manufacturing, but not without attendant challenges ranging from lack of patronage of its technologies and products by local entrepreneurs, weak linkage with Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) or big corporations whose day-to-day activities require the use of various technologies, machines and equipment already developed by the Agency among others.
Amidst these challenges came a beacon of light and hope on Monday, September 4, 2023, a new Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to lead NASENI. It is good to note that the President Tinubu himself is the Chairman of the Governing Board of NASENI in line with the Agency’s establishment Act 2004.
On assumption of office, Halilu brought a dramatic management change of focus towards full commercialization of NASENI’s products. NASENI today 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 promoting a shared management-staff philosophy hinged on 3Cs principles of Collaboration Creation and Commercialization to fuel Nigeria’s innovation and sustainable future. This approach has indeed opened more doors to result-based NASENI’s partnerships with both national and international corporate communities.
Inspired by previous experience as a techpreneur and businessman before his appointment to lead NASENI, Halilu’s leadership model is to do everything to conserve resources, avoid duplication of efforts and shorten go-to-market time. What this means is that wherever NASENI finds serious partners who are already operating in areas of interest, it will work with them to improve the Agency’s products and take these products to the market. As a government Agency, Halilu said NASENI under him is not out to compete with the private sector, but serve as partner and enabler, helping the private sector to achieve everything from design to testing or helping companies in scaling-up production capacity and to seek out new markets.”
As a result of this strategy, within a space of one year, the Agency had unveiled to the general public some branded technological products manufactured in collaboration with its partners. They include solar irrigation systems, electric vehicles (ranging from tricycles to motorcycles), NASENI home solar system, laptop, smartphone, solar street lamp and lithium battery. All these efforts were geared towards creating jobs and to reduce import bills. Halilu brought a mix of deep private sector experience and working knowledge of the public sector, amassed from delivering high-impact technology and digital solutions across both sectors.
Since September 2023, Halilu hits the grounds running with the launching of a NASENI Strategic Launchpad, which simplified into attainable goals concerning the mandate, vision, mission and operations of the Agency into short, medium and long-term plans. Secondly, he changed the NASENI corporate logo to portray a predominant blue colour to reflect the Agency’s operational affinity with private sector or the business world. The Strategic Launchpad also outlined four pillars that encapsulated the Agency’s vision namely: Enhancing Nigeria’s Manufacturing Capacity, Reducing Nigeria’s Import Dependency through Research and Development, Strategically Repositioning NASENI and Leveraging the Comparative Advantages of Nigeria’s 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory. This strategic document today serves as road map toward achieving the goals of the Agency within stipulated time-frame. So far, the document has provided effective guide for deployment of resources, its optimization and measurements leading to all the achievements which everyone now could see or touch.
NASENI in the past 12 months, had deliberately signed critical Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with local and international partners aimed at advancing Nigeria’s economic growth and development. Some of them include a $150 million deal with Shenzhen LEMI Technology Development Company Ltd to establish a lithium battery manufacturing and procession factory in Nigeria. It signed agreements with three other Chinese companies for new projects valued at $2 billion.
They include Shanghai Launch Automotive Technical Co Ltd-to establish a new energy automobile facility for the production of new energy electric vehicles; China Great Wall Industry Corporation-for the turnkey delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) assembly line projects; and Newway Power Technology Company Ltd-for the transfer of technology on lithium batteries, electric vehicles and allied technologies; USD$21.7 million counterpart funding with the Technical Agency of the Czech Republic (TA-CR) for take-off of Delta-2 Projects; Niger State Government for Agric mechanization; Family Homes Funds Ltd for affordable housing development and Caverton Helicopters for the establishment of a drone assembly plant, a drone training school, and a service centre for helicopters; amongst other agreements.
NASENI is also collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to deploy existing technical competencies and exchange of resources by the two institutions to improve Agro-allied-industries development targets, climate change mitigation and smart solar irrigation aimed at dry-season farming. These partnerships will have a profound impact, generating hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s economic growth. These efforts have no doubt positioned NASENI as a catalyst for Nigeria’s economic transformation, driving progress in critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, housing, energy, transportation, ICT and manufacturing.
The recent partnership by the Agency with Portland Gas Limited resulted in the establishment of NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion and Training Centre at Utako, Abuja, which has raised the bar of sustainable alternative fuel solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save fuel costs for vehicle owners.
Halilu’s approach to the issue of staff welfare and human capital development is laudable. He introduced staff welfare package and training programmes including capacity building initiatives. As at today, there is no staff of NASENI (from low to highest ranks) who has not attended one form of training or the other within the range of local and international trainings to improve work performance; inspiring a new mindsets and attitudes to work even as he is deliberately engineering new NASENI generation scientists, engineers and innovators including other support staff to dream big for the Agency. This new trend of focusing on staff development has created a renewed sense of purpose and optimism by the entire workforce. Many staff are saying that “it is indeed A NEW NASENI under the leadership of Halilu as they are now cultivating a culture of innovation, emphasizing continuous training and skill development to meet global standards and also to produce world-class products.
As NASENI continues to move ahead with Nigeria’s technological advancements and infrastructure development, the impacts on the economy will soon be profoundly felt. With Mr. Halilu on the saddle of NASENI leadership, it has truly been a remarkable one year of giant strides and transformation of the Agency.
