Presidency hails NASENI’s locally assembled drones, tech drive

The Nigerian Presidency has lauded the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for its significant investments in locally assembled drones, agricultural technologies, and indigenous manufacturing. Presidential aides described the agency as a crucial driver of the Federal Government's agenda for innovation, technology transfer, and industrialization.

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NASENI has done really well. I was not surprised that when it came to selecting the presiding positions, the agency’s EVC was appointed. This agency was created in 1992. Yet, in three years, you can see how Halilu has turned it around.

During a tour of NASENI's headquarters in Abuja, senior presidential aides inspected six factories, production facilities, and the agency's showroom. They examined locally assembled unmanned aerial vehicles, agricultural equipment, diagnostic test kits, and other technologies developed in partnership with private firms. The visit underscored the Federal Government's renewed emphasis on local content development and technology-driven industrial growth under President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

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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 also encourage you to continue to justify the confidence the President has in the youth of this country to continue to apply their skills to develop this country.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, commended the transformation of NASENI under its Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Halilu. Onanuga noted the agency's progress since its creation in 1992, highlighting Halilu's impact in the last three years and seeing the "Renewed Hope Transformation" within the agency.

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Obviously, 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.

Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, stated that NASENI's innovations reflect the Tinubu administration's eight-point agenda, particularly in technology transfer and agricultural mechanization. He observed that NASENI is making advanced technologies accessible, citing the development of modern agricultural equipment to replace traditional farming tools and partnerships for producing test kits, reducing reliance on imports.

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I saw how you developed modern agricultural equipment to replace the small hoes of our farmers. And when you develop this big equipment for agriculture, affordability and understanding of how to use it come in. I also saw the factory that you partnered with for test kits. And interestingly, when you look at the data about test kits, almost 80% of our test kits come from outside thi