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The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole has praised the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for its ongoing transformation under executive vice-chairman, Khalil Halilu.
Her commendation followed an inspection of NASENI facilities in Abuja on Monday, August 11, 2025. The tour covered the NASENI Innovation Hub, technology site at Abuja Technology Village, Troment facility and another site at Abuja Technology Park, Idu Industrial Area.
The visit formed part of the ministry’s wider effort to evaluate local industrial capacity and review high-impact projects that support the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy – an agenda aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, promoting local consumption and creating jobs through industrialisation.
At each location, Oduwole lauded Halilu’s vision in advancing Made-in-Nigeria products. She was accompanied by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi; Managing director of Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, as well as directors from both the ministry and NASENI.
Speaking to reporters after the tour, the minister noted that Halilu had earlier visited her office to brief her on NASENI’s activities and invited her to see operations firsthand.
“I have come and I have seen many things,” she said. “What I am seeing today is not about intents, MoUs, agreements, or prospective investors. I have seen actual 100 per cent Made-in-Nigeria products. I have seen happy investors who were encouraged to work quickly and are setting the pace nationally, regionally and globally.”
During the inspection, she viewed a range of NASENI-developed products at the Abuja Technology Park showroom, toured the Troment factory expected to produce world-class drugs, including HIV vaccines and visited the Innovation Hub. She also joined Halilu in a ride aboard NASENI’s anti-ballistic missile armoured vehicle.
Oduwole described NASENI’s capacity as a driver of national economic transformation. She commended Halilu’s leadership and urged him to sustain efforts, particularly in knowledge sharing, inspiring young innovators and maintaining the agency’s push for commercialisation – all critical to domestic content growth.
Earlier, Halilu expressed gratitude to the minister, the permanent secretary and other officials for their visit, calling for deeper collaboration between NASENI and the ministry to expand productivity.
In a statement by NASENI’s deputy director of information, Chima Akwaja, Halilu appealed to the media to adopt developmental journalism in reporting industrial progress. He disclosed that NASENI currently has over 40 market-ready products capable of competing globally, with additional innovations in development.
The minister’s visit underscored NASENI’s evolving role as a catalyst for Nigeria’s industrial and technological advancement. By showcasing tangible, home-grown solutions – from pharmaceuticals to defence technology – the agency demonstrated its potential to drive local manufacturing, stimulate investment and position Nigerian products on the global stage.
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