The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has organized a ‘Focus Group Engagement’ in Kaduna State to promote local manufacturing, innovation, and the adoption of Made-in-Nigeria products.
The forum brought together government officials, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss policies that will drive Nigeria’s industrial and technological growth.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Abdulfatai Ambali, Head of the Manufacturing Services Department at the Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute, Kano, an arm of NASENI, emphasized the agency’s role in national development.
He highlighted the agency’s renewed focus on commercialization, collaboration, and creation under its current leadership.
Ambali said, “Many Nigerians are not aware of NASENI and its activities.
“However, with the current executive leadership of Khalil Suleman Halilu, the agency is prioritizing awareness, stakeholder engagement, and community impact.”
He added that NASENI was working to develop home-grown technology to reduce the country’s overreliance on foreign products, with many innovative solutions already deployed across various sectors.
Also speaking, Mr. Kareem Aduagba, Project Manager at the Aeronautics and Air Vehicle Development Institute, Kaduna, revealed that NASENI had successfully developed a Made-in-Nigeria helicopter using local engineering expertise.
“We are near completion on the first test, and we will continue to encourage science and technology products developed locally,” Ambali stated.
The facilitator of the program, Saleh Kwaru, urged Nigerians to be patriotic by supporting local industries, emphasizing that national development depends on patronizing home-grown products.
“We must look inward and leverage our resources. Constantly relying on foreign products weakens our economy,” he added.
In his remarks, Yusuf Suleiman, acting zonal coordinator for the North-West, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), commended the event for addressing the challenges hindering locally made products, such as quality and finishing.
“Innovation and modern technology are key to improving the acceptance of Nigerian products,
“This kind of engagement will help tackle production challenges and create more job opportunities,” he stated.
Suleiman added that SMEDAN and NASENI were sharing common objectives, including marketing, technological innovation, and job creation, aligning their efforts for sustainable industrial growth.
The forum emphasized the need for policy reforms, innovation, and public awareness to strengthen Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and boost local production competitiveness. (NAN
