Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has called on Nigeria to prioritise building indigenous capacity as the foundation for emerging as Africa’s leader in clean energy and industrial development.
Halilu made the call while speaking at the Mustapha Abdullahi Energy Leadership Fellowship, where he stressed that sustainable leadership in the energy sector cannot be achieved through dependence on foreign technologies but by developing the local expertise required to create, manufacture and commercialise clean energy solutions.
According to him, the future of clean energy extends beyond the deployment of technologies, noting that real progress lies in a nation’s ability to design, produce and commercialise the innovations that will drive economic growth and energy security.
The NASENI chief explained that the agency is already advancing this vision through its strategic framework anchored on Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation, which is aimed at strengthening local manufacturing, commercialising homegrown innovations and transforming research outputs into market-ready products, thriving industries and employment opportunities.
Halilu expressed confidence that Nigeria has the human capital and innovative capacity to become a continental powerhouse in clean energy, urging government, industry stakeholders and development partners to invest in building the industries that will power Africa’s future.
He maintained that developing indigenous capabilities and fostering innovation would not only accelerate Nigeria’s clean energy transition but also position the country as a leading hub for sustainable industrial growth across the continent.
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