NASENI, REA Agree to Deploy Renewable Technologies to light up Rural Areas in Nigeria
…Partner NITDA on local content Development
By Patience Ikpeme
To increase electricity supply in Nigeria’s rural areas, The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have concurred to work together to deploy NASENI solar resources and other renewable energy technology.
This was disclosed in a discussion during a visit by the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO NASENI, Mr Khalil Halilu, to the Managing Director/CEO of REA, Mr Ahmad Salihijo, on Friday in Abuja .
NASENIs Executive Vice Chairman, Mr Halilu, stated that ” the focus is to hit the ground running by nurturing effective collaborations with the right stakeholders who will assist NASENI to fulfil it’s mandate of providing the science and engineering infrastructure base for Nigeria’s businesses and economy to thrive”
Mr Halilu stated that ” the strategy going forward for NASENI includes knocking on the doors of potential end- users of the Agency’s technology and engineering products , making off-take of our Research and Development (R&D) easy, while also bringing the direct impact of our work to bear on the Nigerian economy “.
They both pledge to work together to achieve lost cost for solar power installation in rural areas by increasing local solar panels production by NASENI.
According to Ahmad Salihijo, the goal is to facilitate the federal governments ambition to achieve the electrification of Nigeria’s rural areas in record time.
In an earlier visit by Mr Halilu to the Director General/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) , Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, with a similar mission, thy both agreed and emphasized the need to look inward and develop local content in both human and material capacity to transform the economy.
Mr Halilu hopes to capitalize on the good working relationship between the both organizations to share experience and best practices in management and in resource optimization.
NITDAs Director General, Abdullahi disclosed that, NITDAs strategy of focusing on changing both the mind-sets and skill-sets of it’s staff are two critical factors that have helped the agency achieve up to 62% of it’s goal and objectives within two years ahead of it’s four year projection .
Abdullahi pointed out that the same approach would be work for NASENI, as long as there was a well-thought-out strategic plan and clarity of vision and goals.
