NASENI Assures Lawmakers of Market-Ready, SON-Certified Products
By Patience Ikpeme
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has assured the House of Representatives Committee on NASENI that its newly unveiled commercial products are market-ready and certified by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). This declaration was made by NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, during an oversight visit by the House Committee to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
During the visit, the committee, led by its Chairman, Hon. Otunba Abimbola Ajilesoro, was presented with an array of NASENI’s latest technological innovations. These included the NASENI Laptop, Android Smartphone, Lithium Battery, LED Solar Street Light, Solar Irrigation System, Electric Bicycle, and Electric Keke (both passenger and cargo types). Halilu also showcased two newly branded NASENI electric vehicles (EVs) to the lawmakers.
Halilu highlighted NASENI’s pivotal role in Nigeria’s technological advancement and industrialization. “Over the past few months, we have implemented several key initiatives aimed at transforming our operations from primarily research-based activities to commercialization of our products and services,” he said. He emphasized that this shift is crucial for contributing more effectively to the national economy and achieving sustainable development goals.
NASENI’s strategy includes collaboration with the private sector through a principle known as the 3C’s: Collaboration, Creation, and Commercialization. “Eighty-five percent of NASENI projects are on counterpart funding. We don’t want to invest alone in what we do, and that is why we engage the services of the private sector by partnering with them to ensure that we deliver on our mandate,” Halilu explained.
The EVC/CEO also announced that around 35 NASENI products are market-ready. “We are ready for the Nigerian market, and we want the honourable members to be our first ambassadors through patronage and others. Additionally, we are establishing showrooms in all 36 states for marketing our products. Every activity we do has a commercial plan; we don’t want our products to end up on shelves but to reach end users,” Halilu stated.
He highlighted NASENI’s achievements in innovation and research development, product commercialization, renewable energy projects, and capacity building. Halilu urged lawmakers to continue supporting NASENI’s efforts to deliver both capital and consumer goods, thereby creating jobs for Nigerian youths.
Hon. Ajilesoro, speaking on behalf of the committee, underscored the importance of the oversight visit. “The essence of this visit is to interact with the agency towards robust research in technological advancement in the Defense/Security Sector, Agricultural Sector, Infrastructural Sector, and other areas. This will save and bring in much-needed foreign exchange, positively impacting the economy,” he noted.
Ajilesoro affirmed the committee’s commitment to supporting NASENI through appropriations and legislative frameworks that strengthen the agency’s establishment act. “While the committee will provide necessary support periodically, it will demand accountability and value for money in the implementation of NASENI’s programs. This will enable us to expand, deepen, and create a sustainable path for technological advancement, positioning the nation as an industrial hub among the comity of nations,” he concluded.
The visit marks a significant milestone in NASENI’s mission to bridge the gap between research and commercialization, ensuring that its innovations contribute tangibly to Nigeria’s economic development and industrial growth.
