By Seun Adams
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is seeking the collaboration of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to reduce energy poverty in the country via domestication of renewable energy solutions and to fast-track industrial development of the country.
The Deputy Head, UNIDO Nigeria Office, Mr. Adekunle Olusile, who led a delegation to visit the Management of NASENI on Monday, in Abuja, sought amongst others to facilitate German companies and research institutions’ collaborations with the Agency to reduce energy waste and support the present government’s food production agenda.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Halilu, represented by the Coordinating Director, Planning and Business Development, Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi in company of top management of the agency received the team, saying that the management appreciated UNIDO’s Office in Nigeria for extending hands of fellowship to NASENI.
Onyechi informed the visitors that NASENI has the mandate of driving Nigeria’s industrial development through technology transfer and domestication, production of capital goods to be ceded to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs generally.
In a short presentation on behalf of the agency, the Deputy Director, Engineering Infrastructure, Engr. Emmanuel Ajani, detailed various interventions, programmes and projects of NASENI in the renewable, agricultural and industrial sectors, showcasing to the delegation various technological innovations, products and machineries produced by NASENI.
The UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Germany Team Lead, Michael Schmidt said the organization mobilizes investments and technologies for sustainable industrial development and supports investors and companies by facilitating technology transfer from Germany to developing countries and economies in transition. Therefore, the visit to NASENI was more like a fact-finding, so that the areas of collaboration between German companies and the Agency could be established, leading to socio-economic development of the country.
He said the delegation was seeking to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu government’s food production agenda through food processing and food packaging, reduction of energy waste through biogas production and renewable energy solutions such as solar PV, solar batteries, among others.
The Deputy Head, UNIDO Nigeria Office said he had identified several areas of collaboration from NASENI’s presentation, while adding that “Germany is very strong in renewable sector with several of its companies who are important to such partnerships and are seeking to know Nigeria’s plan to grow its solar PV usage before 2030”.
In order to take the conversations forward geared toward action, NASENI and UNIDO thereafter set up a working group or committee to drive the initiatives and also to bring all prospective partners on board. Some of the German companies represented at the meeting held at Belanova Apartment and Suites, Abuja yesterday included Bloomhill Agroservices, (B)energy, Wilo Pumps, GEA, EMPO-NI and University Weihenstephan Triesdorf amongst others.
