As NASENI Boss Calls on West African Countries to Unlock Technology Potentials  

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Suleiman Halilu has urged West African nations to unite around science, technology, and innovation to accelerate shared prosperity across the region. Speaking during the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) held in Abuja last weekend, Halilu delivered […]

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Suleiman Halilu has urged West African nations to unite around science, technology, and innovation to accelerate shared prosperity across the region.

Speaking during the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) held in Abuja last weekend, Halilu delivered a goodwill message on behalf of NASENI and its Chairman of NASENI Governing Board, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) is a premier regional event that unites leaders, policymakers, business stakeholders, and youth to drive economic integration, promote investment, and foster sustainable growth across West Africa.

The West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) serves as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation, and shared prosperity in the region. With the theme “Unlocking Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Region,” the Summit aims to foster dialogue, build partnerships, and drive regional cooperation to position West Africa as a globally competitive and unified economic bloc.

Mr. Halilu said when he was appointed the EVC of NASENI in September 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCON, gave him a clear and transformative mandate to rebuild and retool Nigeria’s science and engineering infrastructure to serve local industries, energize innovation and unlock the full potentials of a diversified economy.

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According to him, “This is not a mandate of ambition alone, it is one of urgency, one of impact, and most of all, one of results.” Halilu pointed out that under this directive; NASENI has embarked on several impactful initiatives aimed at sustainable development. He said the Agency is currently deploying smart, localized solar energy solutions to power underserved communities and agro-processing clusters across the country.

He added that through the Irrigate Nigeria initiative, the Agency is providing affordable, solar-powered irrigation kits to farmers across the country, enabling all-year farming and advancing food security. The impact of Irrigate Nigeria goes beyond the fields and farmlands. It is about job creation, rural transformation, and economic expansion. More than five million jobs will be created, spanning direct farming roles, agro-processing, logistics, and agribusiness

He further explained that the Agency recently launched the Tractor Recovery Project under the National Asset Restoration Programme to revive abandoned government-owned agricultural equipment and convert them into useful tools for modern farming. He described the programme as the first of its kind, designed to support food production with efficient use of existing infrastructure.

Halilu also highlighted NASENI’s push for local innovation in governance through technology. “We’re building local technology, by local minds, to solve local problems, because a truly digital Nigeria must begin with a truly Nigerian solution,” he said. The Agency has established NASENI Innovation Hub and is constructing Sustainable and Emerging Technologies Institute (SETI), AgriTech Park and NASENI Renewable Industrial Park among others.

On youth empowerment, the NASENI boss noted that the Agency is now serving as a platform for young inventors, engineers, and builders, enabling them to lead the next wave of technological transformation. “We are creating what we call a Generation of Makers,” he said, stressing that the Agency is moving from being just a government institution to becoming a Launchpad for innovation.

He used the opportunity to call for stronger cooperation across West African countries, noting that the region has the talent, market, raw materials, and ambition required to succeed globally. However, he said what is missing is alignment. “No country can innovate in isolation. No region can rise divided,” he stated.

“Imagine a West Africa where innovations made in Ibadan are commercialized in Abidjan, and renewable energy solutions in Lagos are scaled from Accra to Monrovia.” Halilu announced NASENI’s readiness to lead a regional movement for technology commercialisation, bringing together engineers, entrepreneurs, and economic players across borders.

He said the Agency is working towards shared prototyping facilities, harmonised regional standards, and infrastructure that support development throughout the sub-region. To support this vision, he revealed three new policy directions designed to drive regional cooperation. He said NASENI is creating frameworks for joint development of technologies in renewable energy, digital manufacturing, and agri-tech.

In addition, the Agency is establishing the West African Makers Exchange; a platform for young inventors, engineers, and creators to share knowledge and collaborate freely across national borders. Also, he said the NASENI Regional Infrastructure Registry will serve as an open-source platform to map and share science and engineering assets across the region, ensuring no effort is duplicated but instead multiplied.

“These are more than initiatives,” he said. “They are invitations, to build, to collaborate, and to grow together,” while calling on West African countries to seize the opportunity before them and make it count. “This is our moment. But more than a moment, this must become a movement. A movement of results, not empty promises. A movement that proves we can build African solutions, at African scale, with African pride,” he said.

He added that NASENI is no longer just a national institution but is positioning itself as a regional bridge and a continental catalyst for innovation. “Let’s build West Africa — not just as an idea, but as a powerhouse. Let’s irrigate not just farmlands, but minds. Let’s restore not just assets, but trust in what we can build — together. The time is now. The place is here. The movement is us,” he said.

The first day of the West Africa Economic Summit opened on a colourful note with a vibrant cultural showcase that celebrated the region’s shared identity. The opening ceremony set the tone for a summit that recognised the value of cultural heritage as a foundation for economic innovation.

The day featured a series of high-level keynote addresses, breakout workshops, youth-led panels, and industry-focused discussions tackling key regional themes such as renewable energy, fintech innovation, cross-border trade, food security, and the empowerment of the private sector.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON), in his remarks, urged West African leaders and stakeholders to take ownership of the region’s development agenda.

“Abuja is a symbol of what West Africans can build when we shape outcomes for ourselves. Our purpose here is to reset the vision for the region’s economic future, and that future depends on the ingenuity, creativity, and enterprise of our people,” he said.

Ambassador Tuggar also stressed the importance of honouring the region’s long-standing economic traditions. “Markets are a West African story, a story about trade, innovation, and the generation of wealth and opportunity. We still believe in free markets, not a free-for-all, but markets that thrive because of effective cooperation between supply and demand, regulated by accepted and acceptable parameters,” he added.

The second day of the summit built on the momentum of the opening with sector-focused working groups delivering concrete policy recommendations aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and regional infrastructure. Business-to-business sessions facilitated partnership pitches, while several memoranda of understanding were signed, particularly in the areas of agricultural technology, digital finance, and regional infrastructure.

A major highlight of the summit was the official launch of the WAES Youth Investment Pipeline, a blended finance platform aimed at supporting small and medium-scale enterprises and startups led by young entrepreneurs across the region.

Announced during the Youth Economic Inclusion Forum, the initiative secured backing from leading financial institutions and private equity firms, marking a strong signal of regional commitment to youth-driven development.

The summit also witnessed active participation from major players in the private sector, including First Bank, NNPC Limited, Flutterwave, Suburban Technologies, and the Dangote Group. Their presence spanned across exhibitions, masterclasses, and high-level investor roundtables, all of which underscored a growing sense of confidence in intra-African investment and the region’s long-term economic prospects.