The Nigerian defense sector has been a top priority to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) from inception. The Agency, through its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, is deepening investment in the sector to assist Nigerian security agencies to combat threats through investment in indigenous technologies.
Under the massive efforts to secure the nation with capacity building in indigenous technology, NASENI and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in the area of indigenous technologies development, particularly in defense, aerospace, and infrastructure.
This impressive partnership had started way back in 2022 when the Agency and the Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT) Kaduna were tasked to complete work on the manufacturing of the made-in-Nigeria helicopter.
It has become incumbent on the nation to invest more in local technological production of military hardware to make the nation self-reliant and less dependent on imported military equipment.
Therefore, the renewal of the defense pact is a significant development that could be the game changer in the war against insurgency, terrorism and all forms of security threats to the nation.
The renewed partnership with the signing of the pact, which took place at NASENI Headquarters in Idu Industrial Layout, Abuja on 25th July 2025, was marked by a high-level visit led by the Chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, alongside senior officers from the Nigerian Air Force.
The team was received by the NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/CEO and his management team and the boisterous cordiality and the determination by the two institutions depict the patriotic efforts to boost indigenous technologies and the war machinery of the country.
NASENI’s consistency in this sector won accolades from the Air Marshal, who commended its transformative work under Mr. Halilu’s leadership, particularly in reverse engineering, local manufacturing of engineering components, and consistent support to the Nigerian Air Force.
The Air Marshal specifically acknowledged NASENI’s contribution to the development of the C5 Rocket Project, highlighting the Agency’s role in producing the rocket bodies and structural components, and in conducting precision material analysis.
He also applauded the establishment of the NASENI Northwest Technology Innovation Hub located at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Kaduna, describing it as a landmark project made possible through land support by NAF.
It is imperative to note that the Nigerian Air Force is seeking greater inclusion in the governance and execution of the hub, given its role as host and technical contributor. It is also proposing that NASENI formally co-own the C5 Rocket Project, while urging the Agency to continue leading the production of rocket body structures while exploring cost optimizations.
To this end, the Nigeria Air Force believes that NASENI’s competences in these areas are profound and charged it to enroll its young researchers in newly developed research and development (R&D) training modules at the Airforce Research and Development Institute.
The request extends to a new area of partnership —capacity building in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining for Nigerian Air Force technical personnel at NASENI’s Centre of Excellence (CoEx).
Mr. Halilu has remained resolute in his quest to transform the sector. It was therefore not surprising that he reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to the long-standing collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force, describing it as both professional and personal.
“Our partnership with the Nigerian Air Force is one of our smoothest and most productive,” he said. “We’ve achieved so much together-from reverse-engineering projects to shared innovation hubs—and we are just getting started.”
NASENI’s progress in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) development, drone pilot training, asset recovery programmes, and its world-class CNC machining infrastructure has invited the Nigerian Air Force to take advantage of all available resources and facilities.
NASENI has an advantage because its culture of private sector collaboration as a model for cost-effective implementation while maintaining inclusive access for public institutions such as the Nigerian Air Force, is profound.
The updated agreement is designed to be more structured, result-driven, and aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. It focuses on joint R&D, local manufacturing of aerospace and defense components, human capital development, and knowledge exchange.
“This partnership goes beyond paperwork,” Mr. Halilu noted, adding that “It’s about building the future of Nigeria’s defense and innovation ecosystem together.” The formal signing of the renewed MoU marked a new chapter in the strategic relationship between both institutions, setting the stage for the activation of joint action plans on the C5 Rocket Project, CNC training, defense manufacturing, and other innovation-driven initiatives.
In a similar development, NASENI and the Nigerian Navy in 2023 agreed to work together in order to gain ownership of infrastructural development of the Nigeria maritime sector, including other key sectors in order to reduce capital flight and strengthen national development.
The two Agencies of the Federal Government reached this agreement recently in Abuja leading to the signing of a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative relationship between NASENI and Nigerian Navy in areas of research, development and training to enhance local content, technology transfer and reverse engineering of nautical equipment.
The MoU will also jointly develop and produce maritime platforms and weapons for the Nigerian Navy in particular to function more effectively and also the Defense Industry in general.
The most important component of this working together with NASENI is that it would save the Nigerian Navy scarce foreign exchange as the military institution would begin making use of what the country could produce locally and build the capacity of the Naval personnel.
NASENI is also in collaboration with some indigenous research Institutions and Industry: Nigeria Machine Tools (NMT) Osogbo and the Nigerian Army Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and they have jointly commenced production of a12.7mm AA Gun through reverse engineering, including Armour Personnel Carrier vehicles, Unmanned Aerial Drones and other light weapons for use by the military.
The Agency is also implementing the Presidential directives on NASENI research and development of appropriate military weapons locally, other technology and war equipment to support the Armed Forces in its fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and for the defense of the territorial integrity of the country.
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