Presidential Media Tour Applauds NASENI’s Technological Strides, BacksTinubu’s Industrial Agenda
Oru Leonard
The Presidential Renewed Hope Media Tour has lauded the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for its significant achievements in advancing indigenous technology development, describing the agency as a critical driver of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
Leading the delegation, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Communication,
Information and Strategy, expressed admiration for the agency’s progress, describing the visit as “impressive, impressive, impressive.” He said NASENI’s achievements reflect the immense potential of Nigerian youths when provided with visionary leadership and commended the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, for repositioning the agency.
Speaking during the tour, Halilu explained that sustainable industrial growth is not dependent on products being entirely locally manufactured but on strategic investments in technology development, innovation and partnerships. He noted that NASENI is focused on commercially viable innovations capable of creating jobs, shortening production timelines and supporting the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy.
The NASENI chief highlighted the agency’s initiatives in technology transfer, commercialization of research, mentorship of innovators and the Innovate Naija Challenge, which offers a ₦500 million prize fund to nurture and scale promising Nigerian innovations.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, commended NASENI’s accomplishments and urged the media to amplify the successes of the Federal Government’s programmes and reforms across various sectors.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman, stressed the importance of strengthening strategic communication and increasing public patronage of locally developed technologies and products.
Chief Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, advocated policies that would encourage Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritise the procurement of NASENI products and other made-in-Nigeria technologies to stimulate local manufacturing.
Other members of the presidential media team, including Mr. Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, and Mr. Otega Ogra, Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media, also praised NASENI’s strategic partnerships and innovative technological solutions.
During the visit, the delegation toured several of NASENI’s facilities, inspecting projects in drone technology, helicopter assembly, reverse engineering, precision manufacturing, renewable energy, agricultural technology and recycling systems. The visitors observed firsthand the implementation of the agency’s “3Cs” framework—Creation, Collaboration and Commercialization—which has become the cornerstone of its drive to accelerate indigenous manufacturing and technology transfer.
At the end of the tour, stakeholders called for sustained national campaigns to promote Nigerian-made products, strengthen local manufacturing capacity, reduce dependence on imports and further advance President Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda through innovation and home-grown technology.
