The Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Prof. Mohammad Haruna, who disclosed this to State House correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the agency was now implementing various local and international contracts to manufacture and supply laboratory equipment.
Uganda, Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire have reportedly ordered Nigeria’s National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to produce and supply laboratory equipment for tertiary institutions and secondary schools.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Prof. Mohammad Haruna, who disclosed this to State House correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the agency was now implementing various local and international contracts to manufacture and supply laboratory equipment.
Haruna said, “Yes, we are generating revenue. Our Solar manufacturing plant is a limited liability company of government. That is revenue for the government. Other activities are the production of the laboratory equipment for secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
“Just yesterday (Thursday), we received orders from Uganda. They want supply of this laboratory equipment from us. That is a revenue source for the government.
“Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire are also patronising these products. Payment for this goes directly into the consolidated revenue account. So, that is some of our revenue generating activities.”
Prof. Haruna also revealed that the agency received N44.56 billion from the federal government, explaining that it was 20 per cent less than the N56 billion earlier appropriated for the 2022 fiscal year.
Between July and September 2022, NASENI received N35.61bn as first line charges. N28.77bn of that amount has been spent, leaving a balance of N6.84bn, said the Executive Vice Chairman.
But Prof. Haruna said, “The major areas that these funds were utilised is the federal government of Nigeria’s 15 per cent counterpart funding for our projects with China Great Wall Industry Cooperation for the establishment of transformer manufacturing plant, establishment of high voltage technology testing laboratory and the production of solar cells in Nigeria the total project costs of course was the China Great Wall is $325.86m.
“The Federal government is to provide 15 per cent. Out of these, NASENI has so far paid N10bn or $23,928,063. So out of the $48m of the 15 per cent counterpart funding, we have paid so far $23.9m. The balance as at the end of the third quarter is N24.9m.”
He further stated that the funds went for the acquisition and domestication of technologies for the laboratory equipment for secondary and tertiary institution from Delorenzo, Italy. This includes training and local production of equipment.
Haruna said that the infrastructure agency utilised part of the appropriated funds for aircraft development and some defense related equipment.
He said, “Part of our collaboration with the defense sector and development of three out of the 12 new Institutes that the federal government has approved and the development of three out of 24 skill development centers that Mr. president has approved.
“And of course, completion and equipping NASENI technology complex that Mr. President has commissioned recently. And production of food processing equipment and provision of laboratory equipment, and of course, upgrading NASENI institutes across the nation. These are the major areas.”