Presidency hails NASENI’s locally assembled drones, pushes for ‘Nigeria First’ procurement

The Presidency has commended the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, for expanding local technology development through the assembly of drones, agricultural equipment, diagnostic test kits and other innovations.

Senior presidential aides gave the commendation on Tuesday during a tour of six factories, production facilities and the NASENI showroom at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

The officials inspected locally assembled unmanned aerial vehicles, agricultural technologies, diagnostic test kits and other products developed through partnerships between NASENI and private-sector firms.

The Presidential Communications Team that visited the agency included the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare; the Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman; and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

The visit comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to promote local content, reduce dependence on imported products and accelerate technology-driven industrial growth under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking during the tour, Mr Onanuga praised the transformation of NASENI under its Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Halilu.

He said the agency had recorded significant progress in innovation and technology development since Mr Halilu assumed office.

“NASENI has done really well. This agency was created in 1992, yet, in three years, you can see how Mr Halilu has turned it around,” Mr Onanuga said.

“I was here last year and found some of his innovations remarkable. I can see the Renewed Hope transformation in this agency.

“We must commend you and encourage you to continue to justify the confidence the President has in the youth of this country to apply their skills to develop the country.”

Mr Dare said the innovations showcased by NASENI reflected the Tinubu administration’s eight-point agenda, particularly in technology transfer, artificial intelligence, agricultural mechanisation and industrial development.

He said the agency was making technologies previously considered beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians more accessible.

“From the technology transfer and AI precision on display, we are beginning to see the results. NASENI is bringing technology that was once seen as utopian to the level of ordinary people,” Dare said.

He commended the agency’s efforts to develop modern agricultural equipment capable of improving farming productivity and reducing dependence on traditional tools.

Mr Dare also highlighted NASENI’s partnership in the production of diagnostic test kits, noting that Nigeria currently relies heavily on imports to meet its needs.

“I also saw the factory that you partnered with for test kits. Interestingly, when you look at the data, almost 80 per cent of our test kits come from outside the country,” he said.

The presidential aide called for a procurement framework that would require Ministries, Departments and Agencies to determine whether products needed for government operations were available locally before approving their importation.

“We need to develop a model that makes it almost mandatory for MDAs, before they go outside or import, to obtain clearance to determine whether the products are already being produced here before they can proceed,” Mr Dare said.

Mrs Bala-Usman also praised NASENI’s management, describing Halilu as a visionary and committed leader who had demonstrated a clear understanding of the agency’s potential.

“I’m totally impressed by what has been done here in the last few years,” she said.

“We all know Khalil. He has shown what it means to be committed, dedicated and intentional. His coming to NASENI was not an accident.”

Mrs Bala-Usman said Halilu had demonstrated his interest in repositioning the agency after the 2023 general elections and had remained focused on expanding its capacity for innovation and industrial development.

She said the President had consistently sought to appoint bold and capable individuals who could go beyond conventional approaches and deliver measurable results within their mandates.

“Our President has been very clear that he wants people who are bold and capable of turning the tide; people who have the capacity to look beyond the typical mandate that has been given to them,” she said.

“Khalil has exemplified that. We are proud of what has been done by NASENI, and we look forward to seeing many more clear interventions within the scope of his mandate.”

During the tour, the Project Coordinator of Caverton Drones, Ese Obukonise, showcased technologies developed through the partnership between Caverton and NASENI.

The products included surveillance drones, agricultural drones, pressure pumps and a locally assembled helicopter.

Responding, Mr Halilu said the drive for local manufacturing should not be interpreted to mean that every component of a product must be produced entirely within Nigeria.

He said countries seeking to compete in the global technology market must identify their comparative strengths and build strategic partnerships around them.

According to him, the belief that every NASENI product must be 100 per cent locally manufactured was unrealistic in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

Mr Halilu cited global technology companies, including Apple, to illustrate how design, innovation, manufacturing and assembly are often carried out across different countries.

“If you attempt to make everything 100 per cent local, you are pushing yourself out of civilisation,” he said.

“Today, one of the biggest technology companies in the world, Apple Inc., does not even have operations in the United States for assembly. It is designed in California but assembled in China and India.”

He said Nigeria should focus on areas where it has comparative advantages, including product design, innovation, technology development and strategic partnerships.

“It is important that nations understand their strengths. That is what will make businesses sustainable, enable them to grow and expand into other territories,” Mr Halilu said.

He explained that NASENI prioritised projects capable of creating jobs, reducing production time and adding value to the economy in line with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First policy.

Mr Halilu added that the agency remained focused on developing innovations that could be commercialised, scaled and expanded into new markets.