- NASENI boss highlights imperatives of collaboration, creation, commercialization
By Victoria Onyisi
The Vice President, Mr. Kashim Shettima, has signed some Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) amounting to over $6 billion on different areas of technology transfer all geared towards Nigeria’s industrialization, growth and development.
In a statement signed by the Director of Communications, National Agency for Science Engineering and Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Segun Ayeoyenikan, said the event which took place at the sidelines of the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative Forum in Beijing China, witnessed NASENI and new Chinese partners signing three (3) MoUs for new projects valued at $2 billion.
The three Chinese companies according to him, include: Shanghai Launch Automotive Technical Co Ltd – an MoU to establish a new energy automobile facility for the production of new energy electric vehicles, China Great Wall industry Corporation- an MoU for the turnkey delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) assembly line projects and Newway Power Technology Company Ltd, an MoU for the transfer of technology on lithium batteries, electric vehicles and allied technologies.
In addition to the MUs, 10 Chinese firms also presented letters of intent to the Vice President, indicating strong interest in partnering with NASENI to invest in and develop various technology and industrial innovation projects, collectively valued at $4 billion, covering energy (solar, natural gas, microgrids), vehicle production, training and technology transfer, drone technology, and the development of a new industrial park.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Khalil Halilu, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NASENI, who signed the agreements on behalf of NASENI, said: “This is a very important day for us at the agency, because it is a day to show the results of some of the work that we have been doing in the last 6 weeks since I assumed the leadership of NASENI.”
He added: “Collectively, these three MoUs will, upon implementation, deliver $2 billion worth of new investments in Nigeria; that will translate into jobs, skills development and technology transfer, potential exports and foreign exchange earnings, and a boost to local economies.”
The NASENI EVC/CEO described the MoUs and the letters of Intent as “early fruits of the diligent work of the new NASENI, an institution that we are reforming and building around the core principles of collaboration, creation and commercialization,” adding that “we see this as a chain: we forge partnerships with willing and committed partners, at home and abroad; on the basis of these partnerships, we create and co-create new products and innovation; and then we ensure that these products are taken to market in a commercially viable and profitable manner.”
He stressed that the Agency will “work very hard to transform them into commercially viable products, that will drive the industrialization, development, and prosperity of Nigeria”, adding that “Innovation is not meant for the shelves, or the archives. It should translate into usable products. This is our belief, and one of our driving principles at NASENI.”
Halilu expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Governing Board of NASENI, as well as Vice President Kashim Shettima, for the immense support and encouragement that they have provided to him and to the agency, pledging that the confidence they have reposed in him will not be misplaced.
The Chinese companies that submitted letters of intent to Vice President Shettima are TBEA (solar products); DongFeng Vehicles Co. (vehicle design and production), HiLong Energy (CNG, LNG, methanol); China State Construction Company (building technology and materials); CIMC (natural gas infrastructure delivery); Value Platform International Services Ltd (vocational training); Acadia Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. (smart grids and microgrids); Space Star Technology (Drone technology transfer); ENRIC (clean energy utilization.
