NASENI Games 2025: How Sports, Innovation and Unity Drive Agency’s Vision

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has restated its commitment to building a culture of unity, innovation and wellness among its workforce as the 2025 NASENI Games came to a colourful end at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. The four-day event, which featured various indoor and outdoor sporting competitions, brought together […]

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has restated its commitment to building a culture of unity, innovation and wellness among its workforce as the 2025 NASENI Games came to a colourful end at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

The four-day event, which featured various indoor and outdoor sporting competitions, brought together staff from NASENI headquarters and its 12 development and manufacturing institutes across the country. It was a celebration of teamwork, discipline and creativity; values that define the Agency’s growing reputation as Nigeria’s hub for technological innovation.

Declaring the Games open on Monday, October 20, 2025, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the event was not just about sports but to build a stronger and more innovative NASENI family. He said the NASENI Games was designed to strengthen the spirit of togetherness and excellence among staff while encouraging a healthy balance between work and recreation.

“This gathering is not only about sports but about pushing harder, faster, and working together as one NASENI family,” he said. “We are all members of one movement, building a stronger and more innovative NASENI.”

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The atmosphere at the opening ceremony reflected the EVC’s words. The sound of drums, cheers and songs filled the air as participants marched past in colourful uniforms, waving banners of their respective institutes. To many, it was more than a competition; it was a family reunion that combined the excitement of sports with the shared purpose of innovation.

 

The Chairman of NASENI Sports Committee, Engr. Bernard Ozigi, in his remarks, said the Games were aimed at promoting discipline, fair play and mutual respect among staff. He noted that the event was part of the agency’s long-term plan to encourage teamwork, team bonding, creativity and good health among its workforce.

“These games promote discipline, fair play and mutual respect – values that extend beyond the field, court or track,” he said. “Through this event, we showcase the NASENI spirit of excellence, teamwork and innovation.”

The opening day witnessed series of thrilling Match pass and football encounters. In the male category, NASENI Headquarters played out a goalless draw with PEDI Ilesa after 60 minutes of fierce action, while EMDI Akure beat AMTDI Jalingo 3–0. SEDI Minna also secured a 3–0 victory over NEDDI Nnewi, and SOMEDI defeated NSEL 4–0. In the female match, NEDDI Nnewi, known as *The Tigress*, beat NASENI Angels 2–0 with both goals scored by Linda Ezekiel.

Awards were presented on the opening day, including Best Coordinating Subcommittee Member to Mr. Adebayo John of EMDI Akure, Best Kitted Team to EMDI Awka, Best Behaved Team to EMDI Akure, and Best Match Pass Team to NASENI Headquarters.

The EVC encouraged all participants to compete with passion and integrity, noting that the true value of NASENI Games lies not in winning medals but promoting the spirit of unity and dedication which drives success both on and off the field. “Sporting progress only happens when we give our best,” he said. “The Games remind us that success at NASENI is driven by the same values that make great athletes – teamwork, discipline and unity.”

As the competition continued, teams competed across eight different games including football, volleyball, badminton, chess, scrabble, table tennis and lawn tennis. The matches were intense but friendly, filled with moments of laughter, fair play and mutual encouragement.

When the finals were played on October 23, the excitement reached its peak. In the male football final, SEDI Minna defeated NASENI Headquarters after a tense penalty shootout. The match ended 1–1 in regulation time before SEDI Minna triumphed 3–0 in the shootout to lift the trophy.

In the female final, SEDI Enugu edged out ELDI Awka with a 1–0 win after a hard-fought 20-minute contest. ELDI Awka advanced to the final following the disqualification of NASENI Angels for breaching one of the tournament’s rules.

The victory celebrations by SEDI Minna and SEDI Enugu were emotional and filled with pride. But beyond the medals and trophies, the Games achieved something deeper – they brought together NASENI’s workforce under one banner of unity and creativity.

For NASENI, the Games symbolized more than physical competition. They reflected the very process of innovation, where success is achieved through teamwork, perseverance and continuous improvement. Just as athletes train and fail before victory, engineers and scientists refine their ideas through trial, failure and eventual breakthrough.

 

The EVC’s message throughout the Games emphasized this connection. He said sport mirrors the Agency’s daily pursuit of excellence in science and engineering. “At NASENI, we work as a team. The same spirit that drives an athlete to train and win is the spirit that drives innovation,” he said.

Engr. Ozigi, who chaired the organizing committee, said the competition had fulfilled its purpose. “These four days have reminded us that we are not just colleagues, we are a family,” he said. “What we have seen on the field is the same energy that we need to build a stronger NASENI.”

The Games also highlighted the Agency’s commitment to staff welfare. NASENI has consistently promoted initiatives that combine productivity with well-being. By encouraging physical fitness and sportsmanship, the Management believes it is nurturing a healthier, more creative and motivated workforce.

Sports, experts say, can drive innovation and economic growth by encouraging teamwork and focus. Management thinker Peter Drucker once said that innovation gives resources new capacity to create wealth. In the same way, sports help channel human energy toward discipline, direction and creativity.

That connection between sport and innovation was visible throughout the NASENI Games. From the chess boards to the football pitch, every contest represented problem-solving, strategy and resilience – the very qualities needed in science and engineering.

The event also served as a platform for staff from different institutes to interact and share ideas. For many, it was their first time meeting colleagues from other parts of the country. That exchange of experiences, organizers say, is one of the main reasons the Games were created.

At the closing ceremony, the cheers that filled the stadium told the story of four days well spent. The sense of accomplishment was shared by everyone – players, organizers, and management alike. Awards were given to outstanding performers, with SEDI Minna producing the highest goal scorer in the male Football category, while NEDDI Nnewi took the same honour in the female division. The best male goalkeeper award went to SEDI Minna, while ELDI Awka was named the best female goalkeeper.

The EVC/CEO of NASENI, Mr. Halilu who was represented by the Coordinating Director, Planning and Business Development, Dr. (Mrs.) Nonyem Onyechi at the closing ceremony, while presenting the trophies, congratulated all the participants and reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to sustaining the Games as an annual event.

He said the competition has now become part of NASENI’s culture and a key aspect of its human development agenda. “The NASENI Games are here to stay,” he said. “This is how we build a family that is healthy, united and focused on excellence. When we work and play together, we build a stronger institution.”

Observers noted that beyond its internal benefits, the NASENI Games demonstrated the wider role sports can play in national development. Sports generate employment, promote peace and inspire industries such as manufacturing, tourism and media – all key drivers of economic growth.

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote that “He who has a why to live can bear almost anyhow.” For NASENI, that “why” is building a future where science and technology are powered by human ingenuity, passion and unity of purpose.

The 2025 Games marked the second edition of the competition since it was introduced in 2024 in Kano. The management has confirmed that the Games will continue every year, with more sporting categories and wider participation across the agency’s centres.

As the stadium lights dimmed and participants waved their institute flags one last time, the message was clear: NASENI is not just building machines and infrastructure; it is building people. Through sport, the agency is nurturing a culture of innovation, discipline and unity – the same principles that drive progress in every great nation.

When SEDI Minna lifted the male trophy and SEDI Enugu celebrated their female victory, it was more than the end of a tournament. It was a reminder that success, whether in sports or science, comes from teamwork, creativity and the relentless pursuit of excellence.