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  • NASENI, varsity partner on innovation, research commercialisation

    NASENI, varsity partner on innovation, research commercialisation

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, have formalised a partnership to advance innovation, technology development and the commercialisation of research outputs.

    The collaboration was sealed with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, and the management of AUST.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Halilu described the agreement as a significant step toward strengthening institutional collaboration with measurable impact, noting that NASENI is committed to ensuring that research translates into practical solutions.

    “NASENI is focused on innovation that targets the right audience and produces tangible outcomes. Our Innovation Hub was established to ensure that promising ideas are nurtured, supported, and scaled into usable technologies that contribute to national development,” he said.

    He further reiterated the Agency’s readiness to work closely with universities and research institutions, stressing that sustained collaboration is key to bridging the gap between academia and industry. “This is your home, and we look forward to doing a lot of collaborations together,” Halilu added.

    In his remarks, the President of AUST, Prof. Peter Azikiwe Onwualu, highlighted the long-standing relationship between both institutions, recalling past collaborations, postgraduate training programmes and joint initiatives that have benefitted NASENI staff and researchers.

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    The AUST delegation emphasised the need to renew and expand cooperation in line with emerging innovation priorities. Prof. Onwualu explained that the AUST Inspire Innovation Hub was established to tackle the persistent challenge of limited research commercialisation.

    “We are changing the narrative from research done solely for academic promotion to research that ends in products, innovation, and real value,” he stated, referencing ongoing agro-waste conversion projects supported under NASENI’s Delta-2 programme.

    Both institutions agreed to strengthen cooperation in innovation, technology transfer and human capital development. AUST also invited NASENI to participate in its international conference on innovation scheduled for April, where the Agency’s leadership is expected to be recognised for its contributions to advancing research commercialisation and innovation in Nigeria.

  • NASENI, African University partner on innovation, research commercialisation

    NASENI, African University partner on innovation, research commercialisation

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, have formalised a partnership to advance innovation, technology development, and the commercialisation of research outputs.

    The collaboration was sealed with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, and the management of AUST.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Halilu described the agreement as a significant step toward strengthening institutional collaboration with measurable impact, noting that NASENI is committed to ensuring that research translates into practical solutions.

    “NASENI is focused on innovation that targets the right audience and produces tangible outcomes. Our Innovation Hub was established to ensure that promising ideas are nurtured, supported, and scaled into usable technologies that contribute to national development,” he said.

    He further reiterated the Agency’s readiness to work closely with universities and research institutions, stressing that sustained collaboration is key to bridging the gap between academia and industry. “This is your home, and we look forward to doing a lot of collaborations together,” Halilu added.

    In his remarks, the President of AUST, Prof. Peter Azikiwe Onwualu, highlighted the long-standing relationship between both institutions, recalling past collaborations, postgraduate training programmes, and joint initiatives that have benefitted NASENI staff and researchers.

    The AUST delegation emphasised the need to renew and expand cooperation in line with emerging innovation priorities. Prof. Onwualu explained that the AUST Inspire Innovation Hub was established to tackle the persistent challenge of limited research commercialisation.

    “We are changing the narrative from research done solely for academic promotion to research that ends in products, innovation, and real value,” he stated, referencing ongoing agro-waste conversion projects supported under NASENI’s Delta-2 programme.

    Both institutions agreed to strengthen cooperation in innovation, technology transfer, and human capital development. AUST also invited NASENI to participate in its international conference on innovation scheduled for April, where the Agency’s leadership is expected to be recognised for its contributions to advancing research commercialisation and innovation in Nigeria.

  • NASENI takes inter-agency innovation competition roadshow to FCT MDAs

    NASENI takes inter-agency innovation competition roadshow to FCT MDAs

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has announced plans to commence a roadshow in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to mobilise participation of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in its Inter-Agency Innovation Competition and Awards.

    According to a statement by the Director, Information, New Media and Protocol, NASENI, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, the roadshow, organised by the NASENI Inter-Agency Innovation Competition Committee, commenced on Monday, January 12, 2026.

    It is aimed at encouraging federal civil servants to actively participate in the competition, which offers a total cash prize of ₦140 million and seeks to strengthen collaboration within Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.

    The roadshow trains will kick off from the Old Federal Secretariat in Area 1 and proceed to the main Federal Secretariat in the Central Business District, with major stops at MDAs within the area.

    NASENI said the exercise is designed to raise awareness about the objectives and benefits of the competition, as well as the critical role of innovation in addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges, particularly in line with the Federal Government’s industrialisation agenda.

    Officials of the Inter-Agency Innovation Competition Committee will engage directly with MDA staff during the roadshow, providing information sessions and guidance on how to submit entries via the website.

    Speaking on the initiative, the chairman of the NASENI Inter-Agency Innovation Competition, Engr. Dr. Olayode Olasupo, who is also the Director of Manufacturing Services Department at NASENI, said home-grown innovations are central to Nigeria’s drive for industrial development.

    “This can be realised by giving Nigerians especially civil servants opportunities to contribute towards the nation’s development.

    “We want to make sure talents in staff are not wasted, and we know that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have such staff in abundance.”

    He explained that the competition invites MDAs to propose innovative solutions across key sectors such as health, agriculture, education and infrastructure, using innovation, science, engineering and technology to improve service delivery and the quality of life of Nigerians.

    “The competition hereby invites all MDAs to propose innovative solutions in various sectors, including health, agriculture, education, and infrastructure, leveraging innovation, science, Engineering and technology to enhance service delivery and improve the quality of life for Nigerians,” he added.

    Olasupo urged MDAs to seize the opportunity to showcase the innovative ideas and creativity of their staff, while fostering collaboration to drive technological advancement.

    “Join us in driving innovation for a better Nigeria. Together, we can unlock our nation’s potential through innovation in science, Engineering and technology. Join the movement by submitting an entry.”

    He further noted that the federal government, through its Renewed Hope Agenda, is committed to harnessing local talents to build a modern and industrialised Nigeria.

  • NASENI unveils inter-agency innovation competition to spur homegrown solutions

    NASENI unveils inter-agency innovation competition to spur homegrown solutions

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has launched an Inter-Agency Innovation Competition and Awards targeted at Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to promote local solutions, collaboration and technological advancement.

    NASENI said the initiative is designed to harness innovative ideas from public servants that can drive technological progress and address key national challenges across critical sectors of the economy.

    According to the agency, the competition aligns with its statutory mandate to develop and sustain a dynamic infrastructure that supports Nigeria’s indigenous industrialisation, job creation and overall national development.

    The innovation challenge invites MDAs to submit practical, technology-driven solutions in areas such as health, agriculture, education and infrastructure, with a focus on improving public service delivery and enhancing the quality of life of Nigerians.

    NASENI noted that the platform is also intended to foster creativity and inter-agency collaboration within the public sector, while encouraging the use of science and technology to solve real-world problems.

    Interested MDAs are required to submit their entries through the NASENI innovation portal.

    The agency urged government institutions to participate actively in the initiative, describing it as a collective effort to unlock Nigeria’s potential through innovation in science and engineering.

  • NASENI unveils competition for MDAs, others

    NASENI unveils competition for MDAs, others

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is excited to announce the launch of an Inter-Agency Innovation Competition & Awards aimed at harnessing innovation, promoting collaboration and creativity among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government.

    NASENI has the statutory mission “to develop and maintain a dynamic infrastructure to drive Nigeria’s indigenous industrialization, job creation and national progress for the country.”  

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    This specific initiative amongst the MDAs seeks to harness innovative ideas that can drive technological advancement and address pressing challenges facing the nation amongst public servants.

    The competition hereby invites all MDAs to propose innovative solutions in various sectors, including health, agriculture, education, and infrastructure, leveraging science and technology to enhance public service delivery and improve the quality of life for Nigerians.

    MDAs are encouraged to submit their entries through https://naseni.gov.ng/innovation/

    Join the movement in driving innovation for a better Nigeria. Together, we can unlock our nation’s potential through innovation in science and technology. Join the movement by submitting your entry. 

  • NASENI launches initiative to groom young innovators in secondary schools, universities

    NASENI launches initiative to groom young innovators in secondary schools, universities

    The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has unveiled a new  initiative aimed at discovering and empowering young innovators across Nigeria’s universities and secondary schools.

    The programme, known as FutureMakers by NASENI, was formally launched on Thursday in Abuja by the agency’s Executive Vice Chairman, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, who described it as a strategic pipeline for raising world-class innovators between the ages of 5 and 16.

    Through NASENI Institutes spread across the country, Halilu said FutureMakers will provide young learners with skills in design thinking, creativity, engineering basics and technology use, mentorship from industry experts and innovators.

    Others, he said, are access to prototyping laboratories and equipment, hackathons, pitch competitions and innovation challenges.

    “We are creating a cycle where a child’s curiosity today becomes Nigeria’s breakthrough tomorrow,” Halilu stated.

    The NASENI boss said FutureMakers is not a standalone programme but a key component of the agency’s long-term strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.

    This strategy, he said, aims to build technical confidence early, develop problem-solvers and inventors, prepare young people for STEM fields, entrepreneurship and leadership.

    “This is our way of securing Nigeria’s innovation stability over the next 30 to 50 years,” he said.

    Halilu noted that the world’s leading innovation economies invested in young talent early, citing examples such as the United States’ FIRST Robotics, which has produced top engineers and startup founders, India’s Atal Innovation Mission, which exposes millions of children to innovation labs and design-thinking challenges, the United Kingdom’s TeenTech, a programme that helps young people explore science, engineering and technology

    “These global programmes prove one thing: early exposure creates lifelong innovators,” he added. Today, Nigeria is joining that league through FutureMakers by NASENI.”

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    Halilu urged parents, teachers, private sector organisations and development partners to support the programme.

    To parents, he said: “Encourage your children, let creativity lead the way, to teachers, let’s make innovation a daily experience. To the private sector, this is the time to invest, sponsor challenges, fund prototypes, adopt regions.”

    Addressing the students, Halilu reminded them that age is no barrier to creativity. 

    “You are not too young to build something that matters. The world is full of innovators who started exactly where you are today with one idea and the courage to try.

    “By launching FutureMakers, we are planting seeds that will grow into Nigeria’s innovation destiny. This is how nations rise.”

    Chairman of the Senate Committee on the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Senator Francis Ezenwa,  noted that the programme stands out because it targets children and young artisans between the ages of five and 16, introducing them early to design thinking, creative workshops, and prototype development.

    Expressing pride in the initiative, the senator said it reflects NASENI’s commitment to building a Nigeria that not only consumes technology but creates it.

    Senator Ezenwa added that the programme goes beyond offering a platform, as it equips young Nigerians with practical tools to transform ideas into real solutions.

    urged stakeholders to renew their commitment to building a nation where creativity is celebrated and every child is empowered to dream and innovate.

    In his remarks SA to the EVC/CEO of NASENI, Dr. Anas Yazid, said the Future Makers Programme aims to replicate such transformative experiences at scale across Nigeria.

    The programme, he explained, goes far beyond robotics, coding, engineering or design thinking. 

    He noted that years from now, many of them may trace their own success stories back to this very programme.

    Outlining the programme objectives, Head, NASENI Innovation Hub Manager, Rachael Perez-Folayan, noted that the programme will provide prizes worth up to N5m to top winners from each zone, an exclusive study abroad with the EVC of NASENI and scholarships.

    Speaking on the programme structure, she said the programme is is proposed for a three-month period, starting from December 2025 to February 2026. She added that the proposed total number of participants for this first cohort is 60 children selected from all the six geopolitical zones.

    Furthermore, Perez-Folayan, stated that applicants must be 16 years old or younger at the time of application with proof of age such as birth certificate, National Identification Number (NIN) and international passport, which all applicants must be a Nigerian citizen or currently residing in Nigeria.

  • NASENI and the new era of Nigerian innovation

    NASENI and the new era of Nigerian innovation

    By Godwin Ogwuche

    In just two years under the leadership of Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has transitioned from a policy-driven institution into an action-oriented engine of innovation.

    Between September 2023 and September 2025, the agency has undergone institutional transformation, redefining how Nigeria deploys indigenous technology to drive industrialisation, job creation, and promotion of homegrown solutions. At a time when national institutions struggle with bureaucracy and inefficiency, NASENI’s reforms under Khalil’s stewardship is a model for public-sector innovation and accountability.

    Reforms and policy overhaul

    The first step in NASENI’s transformation was a restructuring of its institutional framework. His administration introduced Project and Implementation Management Offices (PIMOs) to ensure all projects are delivered in scope, time, and budget. This was followed by a 100 per cent budget reorientation, ensuring that every allocation is tied to measurable deliverables, a shift that has improved fiscal discipline and transparency.

    To promote accountability and efficiency, NASENI deployed a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that integrates finance, procurement, and project monitoring in all departments and units. This digitisation move has not only reduced wastage but also improved real-time oversight of public spending.

    Policy-wise, the agency introduced strategic frameworks to guide Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem: the Accelerated Technology Transfer Programme, Green Economy Roadmap, 3Cs Blueprint (Collaboration, Creation, Commercialisation), and an Innovation-to-Commercialisation Framework that bridges the gap between research and market-ready products. These initiatives have positioned NASENI as a hub for translating ideas into impactful technologies.

    Turning ideas into impact

    Under the guidance of Halilu, NASENI has complemented its reforms with visible, large-scale projects that have direct social and economic benefits. A major highlight is the 40-hectare Solar Industrial Park in Nasarawa State, an investment in renewable energy projected on completion to create 4,000 jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s clean energy value chain.

     Complementing this is CNC Reverse Engineering Centre in Abuja, which has trained over 300 engineers to build local capacity for precision manufacturing. In agriculture, Irrigate Nigeria Project in Bauchi and Jigawa states leverages smart irrigation technologies to support farmers, improve yields, and reduce reliance on rain-fed farming.

    Meanwhile, National Asset Restoration Programme has restored over 1,000 tractors, returning idle machinery to farms and supporting food security goals. The agency also made progress in health technology. Its NASENI-TROMENT Rapid Diagnostics Factory was set up to produce indigenous diagnostic kits.

    Its NASCAV Technologies, a collaboration with Caverton, has birthed Nigeria’s first UAV School, advanced aircraft recovery systems, and helicopter design projects. In defence, NASENI’s partnership with Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria and Ministry of Defence is strengthening local capacity for defence equipment manufacturing, aligning with national security priorities.

    Technology transfer

    Recognising that innovation thrives on collaboration, NASENI has built a portfolio of over 50 Memoranda of Understanding with local and international partners. On the local front, it has partnered Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Police, DICON, Bayero University Kano, Imose Technologies, MECA, and Galaxy Backbone.

    Internationally, the agency has sealed partnerships with global technology giants, such as Haier, Chery, Yingli Solar, Caverton, Dongfeng, Z-Park, Shanghai Launch Automotive, and Aftrade. These collaborations cut across key growth sectors, such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar energy, biotechnology, ICT, agritech, defence manufacturing, and fertiliser production, signalling Nigeria’s readiness to be a serious player in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

    To ensure inclusiveness and reach, Halilu has expanded the agency’s presence with 18 Development Institutes and R&D centres, six Centres of Excellence (CoE) and Skill Labs, and six Agritech Parks (notably in Lafia).

     In addition, it has established a UAV Centre in Kaduna, NASENI Campus, and Showrooms of Excellence to showcase innovations. This expansion strategy is more than just physical, it demonstrates the agency’s commitment to decentralising innovation and making technology accessible to every part of Nigeria.

    Commercialisation

    A defining achievement of the Khalil administration is the commercialisation of 44 indigenous products, proving that Nigerian ingenuity can meet local and international standards. In energy, NASENI has produced solar irrigation pumps, clean cookstoves, panels, and smart meters. In mobility, it has unveiled electric tricycles, pickup EVs, electric motorcycles, and CNG conversion centres to support green transportation.

    In ICT, NASENI produces tablets, laptops, smartphones, and even home appliances, such as televisions, air conditioners, microwaves, and water dispensers. Its health innovations include rapid diagnostic kits and assistive technologies, while STEM education is being strengthened through initiatives like HatchBox Labs, Android tablets, and STEM mobile kits to inspire new innovators.

    Human capital empowerment

    The agency’s approach to innovation also centres on inclusion and empowerment. The SheFly Programme trains rural women farmers in drone technology for agricultural monitoring, while DELT-Her Fund supports women in engineering. Through NASENI Research Commercialisation Grant Programme (NRCGP) and DELTA-2 Programme (a joint R&D initiative with Czech Republic), the agency is funding university-based researchers to commercialise innovations. The Reverse Japa Initiative seeks to harness Nigerian diaspora expertise for national development.

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    The NASENI Innovation Hub and InnovateNaija Challenge provide platforms for startups to pitch and scale their ideas, while Tech Roadshows in the 36 states have brought innovation closer to the grassroots. Through its Clean Cookstove Deployment Initiative, over 10,000 women have been empowered with sustainable energy solutions.

    Outcomes and national impact

    Two years on, Halilu’s record at NASENI speaks for itself: 44 products commercialised, 55 national projects executed, 30,000 direct jobs created and over two million indirect jobs targeted, 1,000 tractors restored under National Asset Recovery Programme, five national policy frameworks enacted, over 50 partnerships across local and international spheres, 7,500 women and youth empowered directly, nationwide reach in 36 states and FCT. These figures aren’t just statistics, they represent a shift in Nigeria’s technological narrative, from dependency to self-reliance.

    Sustainability

    By championing domestication, adapting global technology, NASENI is demonstrating Nigeria can lead in clean mobility, renewable energy, and green manufacturing. Its ZeCo Initiative (Zero Carbon by NASENI) will make Nigeria a hub for sustainable production and circular-economy solutions.

    Leadership and blueprint

    Halilu’s leadership offers an instructive case study in public-sector innovation. Under his visionary leadership, NASENI has proven that government institutions can be efficient and innovative. The agency’s transformation from policy to action exemplifies how strategic leadership, accountability, and collaboration can deliver real results.

    As NASENI continues to bridge research with industry, empower women and youths, and deepen Nigeria’s technological independence, it stands today as a symbol of what a reformed public institution can achieve when vision meets execution. Every generation produces a few institutions that redefine what governance can achieve. NASENI, under Halilu, is becoming one of them.

    By combining policy reform with enterprise-grade execution, the agency has proven government can work and work efficiently. The path from policy to action is visible in solar parks, irrigation pumps, diagnostic factories, electric vehicles, and empowered innovators.

    If Nigeria is to be a global industrial power, vision must be backed by accountability, innovation driven by inclusion, and leadership anchored in result. NASENI’s journey shows with right leadership, right policy, made-in-Nigeria can truly mean Built for the World.

  • NASENI, presidential committee okay N229mfor engineering awardees

    NASENI, presidential committee okay N229mfor engineering awardees

    National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in partnership with the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT), has approved N229 million to 14 awardees of the Developing Engineering Leaders Through Her (DELT-Her 2.0) initiative.

    Speaking at the awards ceremony held at the agency’s headquarters, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu stated that DELT-Her represents an opportunity platform through which women can turn bold engineering ideas into solutions that change the world.

    He stated that out of the 9,925 project proposals, 14 women engineers emerged as awardees, receiving N229 million in grant funding to advance their innovative projects across critical sectors such as agriculture, clean energy, health, mobility, digital security and environmental sustainability.

    He said NASENI believes that gender inclusion is not charity, it is strategy, as every woman empowered through DELT-Her represents new capacity for the nation’s technology and manufacturing ecosystem with a unique perspective that drives better designs, smarter products and more human-centred innovation.

    “The first edition of DELT-Her in 2024 ignited a movement by empowering six outstanding female engineers with N70.5 million in grant support to develop pioneering innovations. This year, DELT-Her 2.0 attracted 9,925 project proposals, compared to just 120 applications in the previous year.

    “From mentoring 30 school girls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2024, the programme scaled in 2025 to reach over 150 girls across Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa and the FCT, providing mentorship, bootcamps and fabrication kits that have inspired them to develop their own prototypes,” he said.

    In his opening address, Chairman of PICTT, Dr. Mohammed Dahiru commended the awardees, noting that their dedication, ingenuity and resilience exemplify the potential of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). “As we honour these milestones, let us recommit to sustaining this momentum, ensuring that DELT-Her continues to bridge gaps and drive national development,” he remarked.

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    The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on NASENI, Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi, reaffirmed the commitment of the Senate to the ideals represented by NASENI including indigenous production, local content development and gender inclusion in science and technology.

     “We believe that a nation that builds its technology builds its destiny and a nation that empowers its women secures its future,” he said.

    In her remarks, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Udoka, commended NASENI and PICTT for their foresight and dedication. She noted that their initiatives align meaningfully with the Federal Government’s broader commitment to promoting technological independence, industrial growth, gender inclusion and national competitiveness.

    Goodwill messages came from the Postmaster-General and CEO, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Engr. (Ms) Tola Odeyemi; Executive Director, Business Devt, Nigerian Export-Import Bank, Hon. Stella Okotete; Special Assistant on ICT to the President, Fawaz Amodu; representatives of the President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Minister of State for FCT; DG of PenCom; Secretary Government of the Federation and DG of NIMC.

  • OSGF, NASENI partner to digitalise FEC processes

    OSGF, NASENI partner to digitalise FEC processes

    •Target full paperless operations by 2025

    The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), to digitalise all Federal Executive Council (FEC) processes, paving the way for a fully paperless operation by December 2025.

    The agreement, signed through the Cabinet Affairs Office (CAO), which coordinates FEC activities, marks a major step in the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms to modernise its administrative systems and enhance efficiency.

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    Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr. Emanso Umobong Okop, described the initiative as a “landmark step toward modernising government operations and improving documentation and archival efficiency.”

    According to a statement issued by Director of Information and Public Relations in the OSGF, Segun Imohiosen, Akume said the digitalisation project would drastically reduce the burden on ministers and other council members, who currently handle voluminous documents during FEC meetings.

    “Digitalisation of the Cabinet Affairs Office will significantly ease the burden on Honourable Ministers, who currently have to handle voluminous documents during council meetings. In December 2024, we achieved real-time transcription of Council proceedings.

    “This next phase will fully digitalise all processes. By December 2025, we are confident that the Federal Executive Council will operate completely paperless, and we are grateful to NASENI for partnering with us to make this a reality,” Akume stated.

  • DSS, NASENI record breakthrough in local security technology production

    DSS, NASENI record breakthrough in local security technology production

    The Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) have recorded a major milestone in Nigeria’s quest for technological self-reliance with the development of locally manufactured high-tech security equipment.

    Speaking in Abuja, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the initiative, fully supported by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represents a decisive step towards advancing indigenous capacity in intelligence gathering and operational efficiency across the country’s security architecture.

    Halilu disclosed that a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility jointly established by NASENI and the DSS in Abuja has been completed and equipped with modern security systems and technologies designed to transform national security operations.

    According to him, the DSS Director General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, has consistently emphasized the President’s directive for security agencies to embrace local innovation and reduce dependence on imported equipment. 

    This vision, Halilu noted, inspired both agencies to train and develop technical expertise required for in-country production of the new security devices.

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    “The President firmly believes that Nigeria has the capacity to manufacture its own security equipment and should minimize reliance on foreign imports. This strategic partnership leverages NASENI’s scientific and engineering expertise to enhance research and innovation tailored specifically to the needs of the security sector,” he said.

    While details of the equipment remain classified for operational reasons, Halilu stated that the collaboration marks the beginning of a new era in the domestication of critical security technology.

    He expressed optimism that the innovation would soon position Nigeria as a regional hub for security technology manufacturing in West Africa, contributing not only to regional stability but also to the nation’s economic growth.

    “The initiative reflects the President’s broader priorities to promote self-reliance and technological advancement in security systems, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of sustainable security solutions,” Halilu added.