The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, CON, has lauded the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for its groundbreaking strides in innovation and technological advancement, reaffirming Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to fostering an enabling environment that supports local research, technological growth, and sustainable development across the nation.
The SGF gave the commendation on Tuesday, 8th September, 2026 in Abuja when he received the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Khalil Suleiman Halilu and his Management Team, as well as, the Winners of the NASENI Innovation Assessment and Award Competition.
He described the inter-agency and intra-agency innovation competition organized by NASENI for the Federal Civil and Public Servants as well as MDAs as a significant milestone, noting that the achievement within a short period demonstrated NASENI’s commitment to developing home-grown solutions to some of the critical challenges confronting the nation.
Senator Akume particularly expressed delight at the emergence of innovative products capable of addressing critical national needs, stressing that such breakthroughs have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s security architecture, food sovereignty and healthcare system. He added that the achievements were evidence that Nigeria possesses abundant talents and young people with the capacity to develop innovative solutions that can compete on the global stage.
The SGF also commended NASENI for adopting a transparent and non-partisan approach in its selection and innovation processes. According to him, the credibility of the process will inspire more young Nigerians to come forward with innovative ideas, knowing that they will have the opportunity to compete in a free and fair environment.
He noted that the caliber of young innovators and the quality of ideas being presented provided a clear indication that Nigeria’s technological future is bright, adding that the encouragement and support being provided to the innovators would motivate them to do even more.
“Nigeria has talents. I don’t doubt about that. Wherever you go in the world, Nigerians are recognized as people with lot of talents and people with a great future,” the SGF said.
He congratulated the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer and the entire NASENI team for the progress recorded so far, and expressed optimism that Nigeria could, in the future, attain greater technological heights, including developing advanced aerospace capabilities capable of supporting missions beyond the earth.
“Tomorrow, who knows, Nigeria can manufacture rockets that can send people to the moon. And this can be the courtesy of NASENI,” he said.
The SGF congratulated the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for its remarkable achievements in innovation and technological development, assuring of Federal Government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for innovative ideas and developments.
Speaking earlier the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu disclosed that the award and recognition exercise includes both inter-agency and intra-agency competitions, designed to identify and celebrate outstanding contributions by civil and public servants.
He stressed that the initiative was intended to demonstrate that the efforts of individuals further explained that NASENI’s innovation strategy is not limited to developing products but also focuses on equipping innovators with complementary skills required to successfully commercialize their ideas.
He noted that technical and engineering knowledge must be complemented by competencies in areas such as accounting, marketing and business development if innovations are to achieve their full potential.
Mr. Khalil stressed that NASENI had, within approximately two years, facilitated the establishment of 20 factories across Nigeria and developed more than 40 products as part of its efforts to translate research and innovation into commercially viable solutions that can contribute to national development.
He explained that the agency’s innovation agenda extends beyond the establishment of factories and production of technological products, stressing that NASENI had put in place a number of programmes designed to identify, nurture and empower innovators from an early age. Among these, he cited the Future Makers Programme, which targets children between the ages of five to fifteen years, as an initiative aimed at stimulating interest in science, technology, engineering and innovation among young Nigerians.
The highlight of the meeting was the presentation by two representatives of the six winners of the Innovation Competition, who showcased their groundbreaking innovations. The representative of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) demonstrated a Security Jacket developed by the team, equipped with technology that has the capacity to undertake real-time communication with the command-and-control center of security agencies, thereby enhancing security coordination and response capabilities.
Similarly, the winning team from the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) showcased a commercial electronic platform designed to provide Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with a digital marketplace to promote and market their goods and services.
Signed:
Chris Ugwuegbulam
Head, Information and Public Relations Department
8th September, 2026
