By Uche Onyeali
President Bola Tinubu has accorded special recognition to the management of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, for fulfilling the federal government’s socio-economic agenda.
This was disclosed in a statement yesterday signed by the Deputy Director of Information, NASENI, Mr Chima Akwaja.
President Tinubu, in his nationwide address to mark the May 29-second-year anniversary of his administration, hailed NASENI under the leadership of the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Mr Khalil Halilu for its numerous achievements that are steering Nigeria along the critical path of socio-economic development,
According to the president, NASENI has championed youth empowerment, skills acquisition and job creation initiatives for unemployed youths, thus supporting the federal government’s plan to empower the next generation, bridge inequality and place young Nigerians at the heart of national development.
President Tinubu in his speech said, “Nowhere is placing young Nigerians at the heart of national development more evident than at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, where the current management is making giant strides. NASENI has embraced on digital-first approach, introduced real-time dashboards and implemented end-to-end e-procurement through its Unified ERP System—setting a new governance benchmark for public institutions.
“Through bold, high-impact programmes like Innovate Naija, Irrigate Nigeria, Asset Restoration Programme and the Renewable Energy and Innovation Park in Gora, NASENI drives inclusive industrialisation at scale.
“From assembling electric vehicles and reviving idle assets to launching Africa’s most advanced Rapid Diagnostic Kit Factory and training female drone engineers through the NASCAV programme, these initiatives are creating jobs, restoring dignity to work and opening a future of possibilities for our youths. This is the movement we promised—a government of action powered by the energy and innovation of young Nigerians,” he said.
Tinubu noted that agriculture and food security are top priorities of his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of which NASENI is playing a pivotal role through the Irrigate Nigeria Project wherein it has provided its state-of-the art Solar Irrigation Pump system to boost local food production, support farmers, and stabilise food prices through mechanised farming.
Under the leadership of Halilu, NASENI is building urea and coal-based factories, lithium processing and manufacturing plant, drone assembly plants, expanding eco-friendly cookstoves production lines, rehabilitating abandoned farm tractors, building new Development Institutes and NASENI Skills Acquisition Centres, NSACs, nationwide and many more.
NASENI is the only purpose-built intervention agency of the federal government under the presidency whose mandate includes nurturing an appropriate and dynamic science and engineering infrastructure base for achieving home-initiated and home-sustained industrialisation.
