Nigeria demands answers from Czech Republic over failed Delta2 project
By Patience Ikpeme
Dr. Bashir Gwandu, the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), recently visited the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Nigeria, Zdeněk Krejčí, to discuss business collaboration and gather information about the failed Delta2 Project.
During his visit to the Czech ambassador’s office in Abuja on August 18, 2023, Dr. Gwandu expressed his desire to understand why the Delta2 Project, which was meant to benefit Nigerian technology companies, entrepreneurs, and the country’s economic development, did not succeed.
The Delta2 Project was a bilateral collaboration between the Nigerian government (represented by NASENI) and the Czech Republic government (represented by the Technology Agency of Czech Republic, TA CR). Its goal was to initiate projects that would enhance infrastructure, manufacturing, and innovation in Nigeria, ultimately leading to the development of Made-in-Nigeria technologies and products.
Dr. Gwandu informed the ambassador that the new administration at NASENI is committed to partnering with the Czech government to drive Nigeria’s industrialization agenda and attract new investments that would facilitate the domestication of technologies through partnerships.
He emphasized NASENI’s mandate, which is to ensure that Nigeria produces a significant portion of the goods and services it currently imports but has the capability to produce locally. By doing so, the country’s economy would be developed, and millions of jobs would be created for Nigerians.
Gwandu expressed his desire for a beneficial government-to-government relationship and encouraged Czech companies to invest in Nigeria and enter into partnerships. He stated that NASENI is working on new initiatives to accelerate Nigeria’s industrialization and is open to collaborating with companies from the Czech Republic and other countries interested in establishing factories and industrial bases in Nigeria.
The Czech ambassador praised Dr. Gwandu and his team for their visit to the embassy and their inquiry about the unsuccessful Delta2 Project. He assured them that his country is ready to collaborate with NASENI on scientific cooperation initiatives.
The ambassador highlighted the presence of a grant agency, a technology agency, and an academy of sciences in the Czech Republic that could be beneficial to NASENI. He also mentioned that they have several companies and universities specializing in tropical agriculture that are interested in partnering with NASENI and deserve their cooperation.
Overall, both parties expressed their commitment to working together to make the new initiatives fruitful and beneficial for both Nigeria and the Czech Republic.
