Nigeria’s NASENI Moves to Commercialize Homegrown Tech Innovations

Nigeria’s NASENI Moves to Commercialize Homegrown Tech Innovations

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is pivoting to commercialize a wave of locally developed technologies, aiming to transition Nigerian research from prototypes to market-ready products. — LAGOS, Nigeria, Sept. 14, 2026

In a statement made available to Shemnews on Friday, NASENI Executive Vice Chairman Khalil Halilu outlined the agency’s three-year transformation strategy. The initiative focuses on building the industrial infrastructure and partnerships necessary to manufacture and distribute innovations in sectors ranging from renewable energy to medical diagnostics. Over the past year, the agency has introduced more than 40 products across mobility, agriculture, healthcare, and clean energy.

“Nigeria has capable engineers, researchers and innovators. What has often been missing is a connected system that can identify promising ideas, develop them, finance them, manufacture them and take them to the market,” Halilu explained. To bridge this gap, NASENI has established an integrated pipeline connecting talent discovery and research funding directly to manufacturing and market access. As part of this commercialization drive, the agency awarded ₦229 million in 2025 to 14 researchers and established NASENI HoldCo to manage market-ready technologies. To scale production and reduce reliance on imported goods, the agency is advancing several major infrastructure projects across the country:

* Renewable Energy: NASENI is developing a 40-hectare Solar Industrial Park in Gora, Nasarawa State (central Nigeria), to serve as an integrated hub for solar research, manufacturing, and testing. Subsidiaries like NASENI DevFrontier and NASRacks are advancing the local production of solar streetlights and mounting structures.

* Agriculture: The "Irrigate Nigeria Project" is deploying solar-powered irrigation technologies to help farmers cultivate year-round without relying on expensive petrol or diesel pumps. The agency recently demonstrated these systems in Kano State and is also refurbishing idle public tractors to support local mechanization.

* Transportation: To support cleaner transit, the agency is developing an electric vehicle assembly facility at Abuja Technology Village—which will produce the NASENI Electric Keke (tricycle)—and has established Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion centers in the capital.

* Healthcare and Precision Manufacturing: A new Rapid Diagnostics Factory in Abuja aims to curb the importation of essential medical testing supplies, while a Centre of Excellence for Precision Manufacturing will produce high-accuracy components for the aerospace, defense, and automotive industries. Beyond physical infrastructure, Halilu emphasized that NASENI is heavily investing in human capital to sustain this manufacturing push. The agency is training young Nigerians in trades like solar technology and automotive maintenance, while specialized programs like DELT-Her and SheFly are designed to increase women’s participation in emerging tech fields.

Ultimately, Halilu noted that the agency's success will not be judged merely by the number of partnerships signed or prototypes built, but by tangible economic impact. “The real test is whether our products are adopted, our factories operate sustainably, our partnerships transfer useful capabilities, our trainees secure livelihoods, and more value remains within the Nigerian economy,” Halilu said. By Omowole Temitope | ShemNews