Latest news with #NASENI
Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Vice President commissions agric 375 tractors revitalised by NASENI
The Vice President Kashim Shettima GCON, has commissioned over 375 tractors for use in mechanized farming revitalized by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) under the National Assets Restoration Programme. The Vice President commissioned the programme on Sunday June 8, at the Borno State Agricultural Mechanization Agency, Farm Centre in Maiduguri, Borno State. According to Shettima, 'This initiative, NASENI Asset Restoration Programme, is a response to our cross-generational dilemma about what to do with abandoned and poorly maintained assets owned by the nation and the people. It's a powerful shift in how we think about value, sustainability, and innovation, and I believe that's what we've promised the nation'. 'It fits squarely within the broader vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration: to build a productive, self-reliant, and diversified economy. Our goal, therefore, is to ease this transition to expand the potential and productivity of Nigeria's agricultural, industrial, and creative sectors through smart investments in infrastructure, skills, and innovation. 'We must commend NASENI for stepping forward with this brilliant idea to mitigate a national tragedy. Beyond this promise to refurbish hardware, NASENI has shown a great capacity to serve as a national nerve centre for technology transfer, home-grown engineering, and adaptive innovation. This is why we must support them.' In his special remarks, the Chief Host, Executive Governor of Borno State, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, said these tractors being commissioned were procured by his predecessor, Sen. Kashim Shettima when he was the executive governor of Borno State. 'He procured 1,000 tractors with their implements. 'His investment is the single largest not just in Borno state but also in Nigeria. The National Assets Restoration programme we are launching could not have been possible without that foundational investment', he added, commending NASENI for restoring broken down tractors owned by Borno state government without collecting money from the state government. The Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu in his keynote address said the Agency was showing that Nigerian problems can have Nigerian-engineered solutions. 'We are building local capacity, developing talent pipelines, and enabling technology transfer at scale. We are turning NASENI into a true national enabler-quietly but boldly proving that government can deliver, and that transformation is possible'. When we set out to design the Asset Restoration Programme at NASENI, we were not just looking for another project to tick off. We were confronting a reality: that all across Nigeria, from farms to security outposts, public assets worth trillions of naira had been written off, locked away, or left to rust—not because they were beyond repair, but because there was no clear system to bring them back to life. He said our national survey revealed that Nigeria holds over 47,000 broken-down but serviceable agricultural and law enforcement assets. The cost to replace them would exceed ₦14 trillion. 'But at NASENI, we asked a simple question: Why replace what we can restore? 'With the right engineering, the right people, and the right partnerships, we found that we can recover these assets for just 15 to 25% of their replacement value—and still achieve full functionality. That is over ₦10 trillion in national savings, while reviving productivity, jobs, and security on the ground,' he added. He thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Vice President, Kashim Shettima for their endless support, belief in our mission, and their constant encouragement that we must not only think big—but act fast. He thanked Governor Zulum for his support and leadership which have helped bring this vision to life here on Borno soil—turning his state into the first node in this national restoration network. In his address, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyrai who reeled out statistics of broken-down tractors nationwide said the National Assets Restoration Programme is a welcome development and it will be instrumental to meeting the foods security goal of the Renewed Hope Agenda of government. He commended the EVC of NASENI for the bold vision in rebuilding and repositioning NASENI. Earlier, Engr. Mohammed Yadudu, Programme Coordinator, Asset Restore, NASENI, said with support from NASENI's technical partner, the Machine and Equipment Corporation Africa (MECA) in December 2024, began to restore back idle government assets that have long fallen into disuse but held immense value for agricultural economy. The dignitaries present at the event included the MD/CEO, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Eng. Jennifer Adighije; the Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Mohammed Bulama; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa; members of Borno State Executive Council; Dr. Muhammed Dahiru, Chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer; Secretary to the Borno State Government, Malam Bukar Tijani; and Borno State Commissioner of Agriculture, Eng. Bawu Musami; Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan; members of the National Assembly, and other top government officials in the state.
Zawya
25-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
NASENI unveils strategies to boost patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products
As part of efforts to promote made-in-Nigeria products and strengthen the local manufacturing sector, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has launched strategies to address negative perceptions and obstacles hindering indigenous products. The intervention agency identified inferior quality, affordability, and public perception as key challenges that must be tackled to enhance the patronage of locally made products and enable them to compete favourably in the global market, thereby driving the nation's economic growth. NASENI, however, emphasised the need for a unified approach to strengthen Nigeria's industrial sector and reiterated its resolve to promote made-in-Nigeria products. Speaking during an engagement held in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, with key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors—particularly industry players, regulatory bodies, and research institutions—the Deputy Director of Engineering at NASENI, Joseph Alasoluyi, stated that the programme was designed to find solutions to factors hindering made-in-Nigeria products and to accelerate homegrown technological advancements. Alasoluyi traced the agency's journey since its establishment in 1992, noting that NASENI was set up to promote science, technology, and engineering as a foundation for Nigeria's development and currently operates 12 institutes nationwide to achieve its objectives. He said, 'The idea of this programme is to interface and ensure we produce products using indigenous technology. NASENI is committed to encouraging homegrown technologies." 'We aim to integrate efforts to ensure that local technology is utilised to develop products using available resources.' 'NASENI's '3Cs'—Creation, Collaboration, and Commercialisation—define its strategic mandate: creating innovations through research, collaborating with partners to develop and refine products, and commercialising these solutions to benefit the economy.' 'Our achievements include the development of solar irrigation systems, CNG conversion centres, machines capable of producing up to 1,000 blocks per hour, 10-inch tablets, locally made laptops, and electric tricycles (Keke Napep) set for market launch.' Alasoluyi also highlighted the Irrigate Nigeria Project, a presidential initiative championed by NASENI to ensure year-round agricultural production through innovative irrigation systems. He disclosed how a team reverse-engineered a charcoal stove originally imported from China, improving its durability and functionality—demonstrating that Nigerian innovations can outperform imported counterparts when given the right support. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Dr Samuel Oluyamo, stressed that many promising research outputs remain dormant due to lack of funding and weak linkages between research institutions and industry. Oluyamo questioned the federal government's commitment to funding research and development, lamenting the lack of support for commercialisation and poor infrastructure, which have hindered many academic innovations. He said, 'Until we scale up research into mass production, technological growth will remain elusive.' Meanwhile, the representative of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Adekole Adetokunbo, noted that poor product quality, limited public awareness, and price variations have made Nigerian products less competitive. She, however, stressed the need for strategic branding and consumer education to enhance public confidence in Nigerian-made goods. A representative from the National Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Akadiri Olawaseun, stressed that Nigeria's core industrial challenge is a perception problem, fuelled by weak government policies. He argued that Nigerian-made products, such as electrical cables, are often superior to foreign alternatives but suffer from limited trust and poor advocacy.
