President Tinubu Urges MDAs to Support Made-in-Nigeria Technologies
By Patience Ikpeme
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to use technologies and products from the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
This move aims to promote Made-in-Nigeria goods and reduce the country’s reliance on imports.
President Tinubu’s directive was delivered by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during the inauguration of the NASENI-Portland Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion, Filling, Reverse Engineering, and Training Centre in Utako, Abuja.
As the Chairman of the NASENI Governing Board, President Tinubu highlighted NASENI’s collaboration with private companies to commercialize its products.
He emphasized the importance of the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi), which leverages Nigeria’s vast gas resources to promote cleaner energy. CNG-powered transportation, he noted, will ease foreign exchange pressures and save money for vehicle owners by converting fuel-powered vehicles to CNG.
President Tinubu also praised NASENI’s efforts with private partners to establish a lithium ore processing plant in Nigeria, which will produce lithium batteries for electric vehicles.
NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, in his welcome address, explained that the new CNG Conversion and Training Centre, a partnership with Portland Gas Limited, can convert 15 cars every two hours, totaling 2,700 conversions monthly.
Halilu suggested that if Nigeria sets up ten similar facilities in each state and the Federal Capital Territory, the country could convert all vehicles to CNG within a year. He requested the President’s approval to convert all State House vehicles to CNG and offered to convert vehicles for all federal MDAs at a cost.
He also proposed that NASENI provide its CNG generators for testing the lighting project on Bill Clinton Drive, encouraging the purchase of the Agency’s streetlights.
The event saw goodwill messages from key ministers, including the Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Epkerikpo Ekpo; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi; the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji; and other legislative leaders.
The NASENI-Portland CNG Conversion and Training Centre is equipped with cutting-edge technology and staffed by trained professionals to ensure efficient and safe vehicle conversions. It also offers extensive training programs for technicians and engineers, promoting green energy solutions and building local expertise in CNG systems.
This initiative is expected to reduce vehicle emissions, leading to cleaner air and a healthier environment. Additionally, it will lower fuel costs for consumers and create new job opportunities in Nigeria’s green energy sector.
