The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has urged citizens to support and utilize domestically produced items and commodities.
Even as affirming that the nation can produce high-quality products, the organization urged citizens to reduce their reliance on foreign merchandise.
The Deputy Director (Engineering) of NASENI, Engineer Oladimeji Alasoluyi, expressed this statement in Ado-Ekiti, which serves as the capital city of Ekiti State, during an organizational strategy meeting focused on indigenous Nigerian goods. The event was themed “Made In Nigeria for Everyone.”
Alasoluyi, who highlighted that one of NASENI’s roles is to foster indigenous technology, mentioned that the federal government is working towards transforming Nigeria into a production-focused country rather than just a consumer-oriented one.
He stated, “The aim is to highlight that Nigerians possess the capability to produce locally-made goods. A key aspect of our initiative focuses on promoting indigenous technology. It’s impossible for any country to progress without technological advancement. Our objective is to encourage everyone to support products manufactured in Nigeria.”
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Nigerians possess the ability, knowledge, and assets; then why aren’t we supporting locally produced goods? For Nigeria to assume its appropriate position in worldwide tech advancements, it starts with each one of us.
The current administration led by President Bola Tinubu is working towards reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported products. While Nigeria has traditionally been seen as a consumer nation, this perspective must evolve. The aim now is for Nigeria to become a producer or manufacturing hub focused on exports instead. To achieve this, measures have been established by NASENI in key areas such as collaboration, innovation, and market entry. It is crucial to engage various stakeholders since the government cannot accomplish this transformation independently.
There have been forums where entrepreneurs are invited to showcase their products and learn about what others are producing. We welcome collaborations with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Our organization provides training and builds their capabilities at all of our twelve centers located throughout Nigeria.
Mainly, we are training the SMEs along with their processes; meanwhile, the products are distributed to them for large-scale production within a flourishing ecosystem.
He stated that the agency was primarily set up to encourage and advance the fields of science, technology, and engineering infrastructure within the nation. Additionally, it aims to tackle numerous obstacles and requirements in Nigeria’s progression towards greater scientific and technological advancement.
The mission of NASENI encompasses research, development, production, skill enhancement, employment generation, and additional areas. To accomplish these objectives, we operate 12 centers and institutes positioned throughout the nation, each focusing on distinct fields such as electronics, engineering materials and design, fabrication, energy solutions, scientific apparatus, mineral resources, and even more institutions are being established.
“The agency is made to be of great relevance to the SMEs, the product developed is to assist the SMEs to be empowered and to contribute to the nation’s technological and economic development.”
During the panel session, Prof. Sunday Adedini of Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Senior Special Assistant to the Ekiti Governor, Moses Ademiloye, and an entrepreneur, Mrs Modupe Akosile, among others, spoke about factors responsible for the non-acceptance of locally made goods by Nigerians and how government and private bodies could be of assistance to the SMEs.
Professor Adedini remarked in his input, “Effective leadership should focus on coordinating these processes efficiently; priority must be given to the training of SMEs, fostering collaboration among agencies, ensuring government protection for local industries as well as consumers.”
For Ademiloye, Nigerians deserve to receive quality products or services commensurate with what they pay and achieve good value for their money.
“Also, there should be availability of the products. It is discovered that the quantity of goods produced in Nigeria, most of the time don’t meet up with the volume of what Nigerians want. Most Nigerians are not aware of made in Nigeria goods and products compare to the foreign ones,” he said.
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