The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is living up to its mandate as the only purpose-built intervention Agency of the Federal Government under the Presidency. It has the obligation to nurture an appropriate and dynamic Science and Engineering Infrastructure base for achieving home-initiated and home-sustained industrialization for Nigeria.
From inception in 1992, the Agency has propelled the vision to fuel citizens’ innovativeness for sustainable development based on a development paradigm anchored on relevant processes, capital goods, and equipment necessary for job creation, national economic well-being and progress.
Nigeria’s quest to attain socio-economic transformation is deeply dependent on interventions by NASENI, which is why it has invested in critical sectors especially to improve the engineering and manufacturing sectors of the economy.
These investments have made NASENI the fulcrum from which Nigeria can improve its competitiveness and knowledge value and it has played its role to make available in the market the primary and intermediate capital products required for machine and equipment design, fabrication, and mass production to provide an enabling environment for sustainable industrialization of the country.
NASENI has ensured sustainability in critical sectors such as Agriculture and Food manufacturing, Water Resources, Aviation, Renewable Energy and Sustainability, Health and Biotechnology, Education, Sustainable Transportation and Mobility, IT and Software, Construction and Smart City as well as Defence and Aerospace.
Having the imperative to catalyse the nurturing of scientific and engineering projects in Nigeria, NASENI plays a vital role in transforming the nation into a self-reliant, technology and innovation hub. Its primary target is to empower Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) through impartation of technologies, engineering principles and practices for the production of equipment that will meet international standards as well as sustenance of a flourishing local capital goods or industry.
NASENI has a broad perspective on development across different sectors and as such it has established Development Institutes in different parts of the country with their mono-mandates. Also in existence under the Agency are emerging institutes and one limited liability company known as NASENI Solar Energy Limited (NSEL) with 50 megawatts installed capacity for production and manufacturing of solar panels and its accessories.
NASENI’s institutes include: The Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI) Enugu, Enugu State with key focus on scientific equipment development/manufacture of scientific products and related capital goods; The Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI) Minna, Niger State set up to research into and develop systems for the mass-production of school science laboratory apparatus for physics, chemistry, biology, introductory technology, social studies, etc.
Others are: The Engineering Materials Development Institute (EMDI), Akure, Ondo State: Established to produce engineering materials and equipment of various types, sections and sizes; The Electronic Development Institute (ELDI), Awka, Anambra State was established to enable Nigerian industries compete for their own fair share of the growing global market of electronics through re-engineering, technology transfer and innovation.
There are also Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute (HEDI), Kano, Kano State which produces hydraulic and pneumatic machinery, materials and their production systems and transfer of these to private sector satellite industries and; the National Engineering Design Development Institute (NEDDI), Nnewi, Anambra State with the mandate to develop engineering designs and disseminate same to SMEs in order to standardize Nigeria-made products, making them globally competitive.
The Power Equipment and Electrical Machinery Development Institute (PEEMADI), Okene, Kogi State produces technologies for the production and distribution of spares and components required for power equipment and electrical machines for the sustenance of a viable power industry in Nigeria.
The Prototype Engineering Development Institute (PEDI), Ilesha, Osun State has a mandate specifically to develop engineering prototypes and their production systems and transfer of these to private sector satellite industries.
Moreover, the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development Institute (AMTDI) Jalingo, Taraba State identifies and harnesses most recent advances in manufacturing technology to increase productivity, improve existing products and produce high quality new products that meet all global standards.
The Solid Minerals Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (SOMMEDI), Nasarawa, Nasarawa State was established with the sole mandate to design, develop, fabricate and mass produce machines and equipment for exploration of solid minerals, mining and processing and to provide the enabling environment for sustainable industrialization of the sector, operations of mineral processing, as well as participation of SMEs in the sector.
The Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI), Lafia, Nasarawa State has the mandate to produce modern tools and equipment for mechanised Agriculture and Technology for food processing, food preservation and application of food availability and artificial intelligence for efficient and multi-crop seasons.
The NASENI Solar Energy Limited (NSEL), Karshi, FCT with 50 megawatts installed capacity was established for production and manufacturing of solar panels and its accessories. NASENI’s operations are considered essential for achieving Nigeria’s long-term industrial and technological objectives and some of the notable interventions of the Agency in key sectors of the economy, through production of indigenous tools and equipment using reversed engineering in different sectors.
In the power sector, NASENI has produced and manufactured the following electrical components: Establishment of Solar panel production plant, Solar Lighting System, AC Powered High Efficient Energy saving lamps and fittings made of plastic of 5, 12, 18 Watts, AC Powered Energy Saving LED Ceiling Lamp 12 & 15watts, AC Powered High Efficiency Solar Recharge Lamps, Led Rechargeable Tube, Pure Sine Wave Inverter, 50KVA Power Inverter, 35kw Small Hydro-power Turbines, 10kw among others.
In the agriculture sector NASENI has manufactured and produced the following agricultural machines and equipment such as Smart Irrigation Pump Machine, Design and construction of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for spraying of Pesticides and Herbicides, Completion and commissioning of integrated cassava processing plant domiciled in SEDI-Minna.
The Agency has also produced a table top seed oil mill for extracting oil from seeds like groundnut, cashew, palm kernel, etc through reverse engineering among others.
In the industrial Sector, NASENI has produced and manufactured the following machines and equipment: Sandcrete making machine, Train Brake Shoe, Circular Grip for Instron Universal Testing Machine, pherical Tank 5, Production of 300kg Head Pan Aluminum Die Mould, 80kg Cast Iron Anvil, Tilting Furnace cover, Coal Cooking Stove, Extraction of high purity silica from Rice Husk, Development of Refractory Brick from Rice Husk, among many others.
In the transport Sector, NASENI has produced and manufactured the following equipment and machines as a way of intervening in transport sector: NASENI M1, First Made-in Nigeria Motorcycle with 65% local content, NASENI TP1 Passenger Tricycle, NASENI TC1 Cargo Tricycle, Tri-cycle Brake Drum, Two Strokes Engine, Jet Engine Demonstration Apparatus, NASENI Electric Vehicle, Electric Keke, CNG car, etc.
In the water sector, NASENI has made some achievements in its intervention in this sector. Some of the equipment produced by the Agency include deep well hand pumps mode, Water Pump Impelled, Manual Drilling Rig and 198m Motorized Drilling Rig.
In the education sector, NASENI has made some notable achievements. They are: Establishment of Centres of Excellence in Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technology in Akure, Ondo State and Jalingo, Taraba State, respectively, establishment and commencement of Masters of Engineering program (M.Eng) in Nano Technology and Advanced Material, Mechatronic Systems and Electronics Production Development with Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ife, Federal University of Technology, Owerri and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi respectively, and many others.
Renewable Energy: In pursuit of environmentally and eco-friendly transportation solutions, NASENI has also spearheaded the development of electric tricycles, motorbikes; and quite recently, partnered with Portland Gas Limited and Kia Motors to produce and convert vehicles to the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
This project positions Nigeria to reduce its carbon footprint while promoting the adoption of clean and cost-effective renewable energy sources, creating jobs and building local industrial capacity. One of NASENI’s flagship intervention projects is the Solar-Powered Energy Systems initiative through products like the NASENI 300 Watts LED Solar Street Lamp, NASENI Lithium Battery, etc.
The Agency is on a mission to harness the power of modern science and engineering to propel Nigeria’s industrialization agenda and positioning itself as a beacon of technological prowess both on national and global stages. The Agency operates the three core principles of Collaboration, Creation and Commercialization (3Cs), ensuring that NASENI delivers world-class products and services geared towards bringing down the cost of living, improving the quality of life and amplifying national pride.
Since year 2023, following the appointment of Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu as NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Agency has been transformed into a vital force for Nigeria’s technological advancement becoming Nigeria’s primary technology transfer agency, facilitating the critical bridge between Research and Development and real-world applications.
The new chief executive officer has transformed NASENI from a research-based institution into a powerhouse of commercialization, with a staggering output of over 40 market-ready products including NASENI Smart Irrigation Machine, NASENI Electric Tricycle, Electric Motorbike, Tricycle cargo, Laptops, Smartphones, Street Solar Lamps, Lithium Battery, Microwave, Television, Water dispenser, Air conditioner, etc. These products are produced by NASENI in partnership with the others who are already in the production field.
The NASENI –initiated tractor recovery project with MECA- where over 375 tractors were refurbished and put back to agriculture, Irrigate Nigeria Project – where NASENI Solar Irrigation Pumps will be deployed to farms , NASENI –TROMENT Facility , NASENI –IMOSE computers and Innovate Naija challenge and NASENI Research And Commercialisation Grant Programme(NRCGP) NASENI Drone Project have been very intentional in turning dreams into reality in Nigeria.
Under the leadership of Halilu, NASENI has adopted a fast-track approach to technology transfer and commercialization of its research and development (R&D) products, focusing on job creation, wealth generation, and reducing import bills.
Furthermore, NASENI engages in technology transfer, both locally and internationally, to domesticate and commercialize technologies. This approach has attracted over 20 partners to Nigeria, demonstrating the Agency’s role in de-risking investments and fostering conducive environment for technology adoption and industrial growth.
Looking ahead, NASENI is poised to lead Nigeria’s charge into the 4th Industrial Revolution by focusing on need-oriented products. The years to come indeed are promising.
