Category: Daily Trust

The football community in Katsina State and beyond has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of Ozoh Chinedu, a newly signed player of Katsina United Football Club and former Kano Pillars player.

Chinedu reportedly died in the early hours of Tuesday, August 11, 2026, after suffering a medical emergency during a pre-season friendly between Katsina United and Niger Tornadoes at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina.

According to a statement issued by the Katsina United Media Directorate, the player was immediately attended to before being rushed to K-Dara Specialist Hospital for urgent medical attention.

According to the statement despite efforts to save his life, Chinedu died at the hospital.

His death has sent shockwaves through the club, coming shortly after he joined Katsina United ahead of the new season.

However, teammates, coaches, club officials, supporters and other members of the football community have expressed grief over the loss of the young player, whose promising career has been cut short.

Chinedu previously played for Kano Pillars before joining Katsina United, where he was expected to contribute to the club’s campaign in the forthcoming season.

The circumstances surrounding the medical emergency and his death have yet to be fully established, with further details expected from the club, medical authorities or his family.

The tragedy has also cast a sombre mood over Katsina United’s pre-season preparations as the club mourns the loss of one of its new players.

The statement further stated that Katsina United expressed condolences to Chinedu’s family, teammates, friends and the wider football community, while praying for strength and comfort for those affected by the loss.

Sahara Upstream has strengthened its integrated oilfield services platform with the appointment of Gopi Nath as Director, Oilfield Services, as the company advances its Beyond XXX strategy to build future-ready businesses capable of supporting Africa’s evolving energy landscape.

Nath will provide strategic oversight for Arahas Global Oilfield Services (Arahas) and SGIR Rigs and Energy Limited, with responsibility for driving the continued transformation of both companies into integrated service platforms focused on operational excellence, innovation, customer value and sustainable growth.

The appointment, according to a statement, is part of Sahara Upstream’s broader transformation following its organisational restructuring and reflects its long-term strategy of investing in people, capabilities and systems needed to support the future of Africa’s energy industry.

Speaking on the appointment, Executive Director, Sahara Upstream, Ade Odunsi, said strong leadership would remain critical to achieving the company’s long-term growth ambitions.

‘As we advance our Beyond XXX agenda, we are intentionally building businesses that are equipped for the future,’ Odunsi said.

‘That means investing in leadership, strengthening capabilities, embracing innovation, and creating integrated service platforms that deliver smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable solutions across Africa’s energy value chain.’

He said Nath’s appointment demonstrates Sahara’s commitment to developing businesses that can respond effectively to Africa’s changing energy requirements.

‘Our vision extends beyond operational growth. We are building future-ready businesses that create lasting value for customers, partners, host communities, and the wider energy industry. Gopi’s appointment reflects our confidence in his ability to unlock synergies, strengthen execution, and position Arahas and SGIR for long-term success,’ Odunsi added.

Arahas provides engineering-led oilfield services focused on operational reliability, safety, innovation and sustainability, while SGIR offers drilling, engineering, project execution and field support services designed to enhance production performance across upstream operations.

Commenting on his appointment, Nath described the development as an opportunity to accelerate the next phase of transformation across Sahara’s oilfield services businesses.

‘This is an exciting period for Sahara’s oilfield services business. We have strong foundations, exceptional talent, and a clear strategic direction,’ he said.

He added that his priorities would include strengthening collaboration across the service companies, driving execution excellence, improving customer value and developing scalable platforms that contribute to Africa’s energy aspirations.

According to Nath, the objective is to build oilfield services businesses that set new benchmarks for reliability, safety, innovation, sustainability and stakeholder value while contributing to the future development of the sector across Africa.

The appointment further reinforces Sahara’s Beyond XXX philosophy, which seeks to build the capabilities, partnerships and platforms required to shape the next chapter of Africa’s energy future.

Through the strategy, Sahara said it is focused on responsible growth, innovation and sustainable value creation as it positions its businesses to respond to the changing demands of the continent’s energy industry.

The Ministry of Finance has directed the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to suspend enforcement of disputed recapitalisation fees and escrow transfer directives against NICON Insurance Limited and Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (Nigeria Re), pending the determination of a petition by the two firms.

The directive was contained in a letter dated August 6, 2026, and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Finance, Raymond Omachi, on behalf of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

The letter, which was addressed to the Commissioner for Insurance, NAICOM, was received by the commission on August 7, 2026.

According to the letter seen by Daily Trust, the ministry received a petition dated July 27 from NICON and Nigeria Re over the ongoing recapitalisation exercise under the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025.

The companies alleged that NAICOM assessed and demanded a one per cent capital injection fee, alongside processing and verification fees, amounting to N305 million for NICON and N375 million for Nigeria Re.

They also accused the commission of directing existing insurance companies to transfer their entire capital injection funds into an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), instead of the 10 per cent statutory deposit required under Section 16(3) of NIIRA 2025.

The ministry said the companies described the one per cent charge as illegal, an additional N180 million capitalisation charge as questionable, and the full-capital escrow directive as unconstitutional.

The firms said they had met the July 31, 2026, recapitalisation deadline, with NICON injecting N20 billion and Nigeria Re N30 billion into Mudaraba Term Deposit accounts with Lotus Bank.

They said the amounts exceeded their adjusted capital requirements of N16 billion and N28 billion, respectively.

They also said they deposited N2.5 billion and N3.5 billion with the CBN and paid N80 million and N75 million, respectively, to NAICOM as initial fees.

The ministry asked NAICOM to provide a detailed response and legal justification for the issues raised.

It also directed the commission to suspend enforcement of the disputed processing fees, one per cent capital injection charges and full-capital escrow transfer directives against the two firms pending the determination of the petition.

The dispute comes amid the industry-wide recapitalisation exercise mandated by NIIRA 2025.

In an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dated August 5, the companies accused NAICOM of making unlawful and unconstitutional monetary demands.

They alleged that the commission demanded N180 million from them as a recapitalisation regulation fee, purportedly meant for a consultant to verify the exercise.

Efforts to obtain NAICOM’s response were unsuccessful as the commission did not respond to calls and messages.

Nigeria, a nation of over 220 million people, the largest economy in Africa, and a country endowed with vast forests and abundant agricultural resources, spends over N1.1 trillion annually importing paper. This is not a typographical error. In 2025 alone, Nigeria’s paper import bill reached N1.107 trillion, up from N328.9 billion in 2021, representing a staggering increase of over 236 per cent in just four years. The cumulative import bill for paper and paper products between 2021 and 2025 exceeded N3.37 trillion. Industry experts estimate the annual drain on foreign reserves at over $5 billion. Yet, incredibly, Nigeria was once a paper-producing nation. Between the late 1960s and 1980s, the country established three major pulp and paper mills: the Nigerian Paper Mill (NPM) in Jebba, Kwara State, producing industrial grades of paper; the Iwopin Pulp and Paper Company in Ogun State, producing fine writing and printing paper; and the Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company (NNMC) in Oku-Iboku, Akwa Ibom State, producing newsprint. At their peak in the 1980s, these three mills produced tens of thousands of tons of paper annually, significantly reducing dependence on imports and even supporting exports to international markets. Today, all three are dead.

The story of how Nigeria killed its paper industry is a story of neglect, mismanagement, policy inconsistency, and the systematic stripping of national assets. The Nigerian Paper Mill in Jebba, once the pride of Kwara State, now stands as a ghost, its machinery rusting and its premises overgrown, a silent monument to a failed dream. The Iwopin mill, commissioned in 1975, has been completely emptied-all its machinery and buildings sold as scrap, leaving nothing but weeds. Oku-Iboku, commissioned in 1986, has suffered a similar fate. These were not small enterprises. They were strategic national assets, representing billions of naira in public investment and the hopes of thousands of Nigerian workers. Their collapse is a betrayal of the Nigerian people.

What makes this tragedy even more egregious is that the collapse was not inevitable. In the mid-2000s, the mills were privatised under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. The promise was that private sector efficiency would revive them. Instead, privatisation became their death knell. Experts now agree that the privatisation process was deeply flawed, with experts conspicuously missing from the acquisition process. Due diligence was not done before selling the mills’ assets. The buyers, in many cases, lacked the financial capacity and technical expertise to revive the mills. What followed was asset stripping-the systematic sale of valuable equipment and machinery for scrap, leaving the mills hollowed out and useless. The consequences were severe: huge job losses, a bad name for privatisation, and the complete collapse of domestic paper production. As one observer put it, ‘privatisation without strategic depth merely transferred dead assets to private hands unable to revive them’.

The economic cost of this collapse is staggering. Nigeria now loses an estimated N674 billion annually to foreign paper producers. The paper sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product has stagnated at a marginal 0.14 per cent. Local manufacturers now meet less than 10 per cent of national demand, which is estimated at over three million metric tonnes annually. By contrast, exports remain negligible-N19.6 billion in 2025 compared to imports of N1.107 trillion. The cost of importing a ton of paper has risen from N600,000 to N2 million in recent years, directly inflating the cost of books and educational materials. This has contributed to a dearth of reading materials and a poor reading culture, with far-reaching implications for educational quality. The printing and publishing industry, valued at over N300 billion annually and employing hundreds of thousands, has been severely constrained by the collapse of domestic paper production. Over 80 per cent of printing inputs-including paper, ink, and plates-are imported, exposing operators to foreign exchange volatility and high production costs.

The human cost is equally devastating. Experts estimate that Nigeria may have lost over 300,000 potential jobs across the paper value chain, spanning pulp production, manufacturing, printing, and logistics. When the mills shut down, these workers were not just unemployed; they were stripped of their dignity and their futures. With no jobs and no hope, many turned to crime. The connection between closed factories and rising insecurity is direct and undeniable. The armed robbers, kidnappers, bandits, and cybercriminals terrorising communities across Nigeria are, in many cases, products of industrial collapse. They did not choose crime because they were evil; they chose it because they were hungry, desperate, and had no other options. The collapse of the paper industry is not just an economic failure; it is a national security crisis in the making. The Nigeria First Policy, President Bola Tinubu’s initiative to prioritise locally made goods in public procurement, has been hailed as a bold step towards reducing import dependence. Yet months after its unveiling, industry stakeholders warn that implementation remains non-existent in the paper and printing sectors, where foreign dominance continues unchecked. Local producers are unable to compete fairly against an unchecked influx of underpriced and substandard imported paper. As one industry leader put it, ‘We are effectively exporting jobs and importing poverty’.

If Nigeria’s paper mills were functioning Today, they would directly employ tens of thousands and indirectly employ hundreds of thousands more. Those jobs would keep families fed, children in school, and young people away from crime. The raw materials are available-bamboo, kenaf, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse and other agricultural residues. Research has shown that tree species needed for manufacturing woodfree bond paper can be grown in Nigeria with a gestation period of six months, not twelve years or more as formerly believed. The technology exists. The market is vast and growing. What is lacking is political will-the will to reverse the flawed privatisations, to prosecute those who stripped the assets, to enforce the Nigeria First Policy, and to build a new industrial policy that prioritises local production over import dependency. The cost of inaction is staggering: N674 billion lost annually to foreign producers, $5 billion drained from the economy each year, 300,000 jobs gone, and a nation dependent on foreign suppliers for the very materials of education, governance, and commerce. The cost of action, by contrast, is modest compared to the benefits. Reviving Nigeria’s paper industry would save billions in foreign exchange, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, reduce insecurity, and build the industrial capacity that every developed nation has built. The choice is clear. The time to act is now.

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested 23 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme, visa scam and other immigration-related offences in the Ota area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the suspects were arrested by operatives attached to the Atan-Ota Division following credible intelligence received by the police.

He said the suspects were arrested last Tuesday at about 11am during a raid on a gated residential building within an estate off Iyana Iyesi, Onipanu-Ota.

According to him, the operation followed intelligence concerning suspected fraudulent activities at the location.

‘On 4th August, 2026, at about 1100hrs, acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Atan-Ota Division raided a gated residential building within an estate off Iyana Iyesi, Onipanu-Ota, where 23 foreign nationals were arrested in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme/visa scam and other immigration-related offences.

‘The operation followed intelligence received by the police concerning suspected fraudulent activities at the location. Police personnel promptly mobilised, secured the premises and arrested the suspects for further investigation,’ he said.

Babaseyi said one Malian international passport bearing the name Diakite Alfousseini was recovered during the operation.

He disclosed that following preliminary investigation, 21 of the suspects were formally handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further immigration-related investigation and appropriate action.

Babaseyi added that two suspects were retained by the police for prosecution in connection with obtaining by false pretence (OBT) and other related offences, subject to the conclusion of investigation.

‘Investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged fraudulent activities and identify any other persons connected with the scheme,’ the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, operatives attached to the Itele Division have arrested a suspected armed robber and recovered a locally fabricated cut-to-size double-barrel pistol, criminal charms, a Tecno Android phone and a UBA ATM card.

The spokesperson said the suspect and another person, who is currently at large, allegedly attempted to rob a motorcyclist at gunpoint along the Orji Block area of Itele.

He said the incident occurred on August 3 at about 12:48am after the Itele Division received a distress report from a commercial motorcyclist who alleged that two passengers he had picked up at Three Crown Bus Stop attempted to rob him at gunpoint.

‘Acting swiftly on the distress call, police personnel immediately mobilised to the location, leading to the arrest of Babatunde Olasunkanmi ‘M’, who allegedly pointed a locally fabricated cut-to-size double-barrel pistol at the victim while his accomplice made away with the victim’s red Bajaj motorcycle,’ he said.

Babaseyi added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing accomplice, while the suspect and the exhibits would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for discreet investigation.

The Cross River State Government has said the new investors taking over the iconic Obudu Mountain Resort will rehabilitate, modernise and manage the facility for an agreed period, after which the assets and improvements will revert to the state.

Since assumption of power by Governor Bassey Otu in 2023, his administration has sunk substantial amounts to rejuvenate the tourist resort until the latest agreement with the investors.

Otu, represented by his deputy, Peter Odey, disclosed this weekend at a stakeholders’ engagement in Sankwala, Obanliku Local Government Area.

Odey stressed that the concession did not amount to the sale of the Obudu Mountain Resort, Bebi Airstrip or Utanga Safari Lodge, saying the assets remained the property of the Cross River State Government.

He said the concession was the outcome of a transparent and competitive process aimed at securing a private partner capable of financing the rehabilitation, modernisation, operation and maintenance of the facilities.

According to him, the investment will include rehabilitation of the resort’s cable car, upgrading of accommodation and hospitality facilities, improvement of internal infrastructure and recreational amenities, and introduction of new attractions.

He added that the Bebi Airstrip would also be rehabilitated to improve access to the resort, while the Utanga Safari Lodge would be redeveloped as a conservation centre for wildlife, biodiversity protection, environmental education and ecological tourism.

Odey said the project was expected to create jobs and stimulate economic activities for farmers, artisans, traders, transport operators and other businesses in Obanliku, Obudu and the wider state.

He said the government would retain oversight of the concession through a Project Advisory Committee, including community liaison officers, to monitor implementation and protect the public interest.

The Deputy Governor appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, women and other stakeholders to support the project, assuring them that genuine concerns would be addressed through recognised community and government channels.

The representative of the concessionaire, Living Curation Real Estate Limited, Amit Ghosh, said the company had spent more than a year working on the project and planned to revive the resort and develop Utanga Safari into a conservation and scientific research centre for endangered African species.

Ghosh also disclosed plans to rehabilitate the Ranch and Village public health centres within three months, while calling for the cooperation of host communities.

Representatives of the host communities expressed support for the concession, saying they expected it to create employment, improve infrastructure and attract tourists and investors to the area.

Seventeen bandits and 10 police officers were killed on Monday when security personnel engaged a large group of armed men moving from Zamfara State into Kebbi State.

Two civilians were also killed in the encounter around the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State, the police said.

The bandits, estimated by residents to number about 240 and travelling on more than 200 motorcycles, reportedly moved from the Sangeko Gap area of Dansadau District in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

A resident of Makuku, Malam Musa Sani, said the bandits moved in three formations and camped in a forest between Kakihum and Makuku, where they spent the night before proceeding towards Maburya on Monday morning.

He said the bandits encountered a mobile police checkpoint while attempting to enter the community and overpowered the personnel.

‘The bandits killed 10 mobile policemen and two civilians and carted away their rifles,’ he alleged.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, DSP Bashir Usman, said 17 suspected bandits had so far been assessed to have been neutralised.

‘This morning, our men intercepted and engaged a heavily armed group of suspected bandits moving between Zamfara and Kebbi States along the Rafin Makuku axis of Sakaba Local Government Area,’ he said.

According to him, four motorcycles belonging to the attackers were also burnt during the encounter, adding that the casualty figure remained subject to further verification.

‘Tragically, we lost 10 gallant police personnel in the engagement, while two others sustained injuries and are receiving medical attention. Two civilians also lost their lives during the encounter,’ he said.

Usman described the slain personnel as gallant officers who fought with courage and professionalism in the line of duty.

He added that the immediate priority of the command was to support the affected families, care for the wounded and sustain follow-up operations against fleeing elements.

Security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force operating along Kamba Road in Kebbi State, have abandoned their checkpoints due to persistent attacks by Lakurawa terrorists, Daily Trust has observed.

Our correspondent, who visited the area recently, gathered that prior to the development, there were about 20 checkpoints between Unguwar Jeji in Kalgo Local Government Area and Kamba, a border town in Dandi Local Government Area of the state.

However, following sustained attacks by the terrorists, some of the checkpoints have been abandoned, paving the way for the smuggling of goods, commodities and vehicles into Nigeria from neighbouring Niger and Benin Republics.

From Unguwar Jeji to Bunza, nine checkpoints hitherto manned by operatives of Customs, the military and the police have now been deserted.

The affected checkpoints are Dangoma 1 and Dangoma 2 in Dangoma village, Kalgo LGA; Sabon Birni; Maidahini 1, Maidahini 2, Maidahini 3 (military checkpoint); Raha Junction checkpoint (Federal Operations Unit of Customs) and Bunza checkpoint.

A resident of Bunza, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, ‘All the personnel have been withdrawn from the area. The Customs, for instance, who had the highest number of checkpoints along the road, have relocated their personnel to a mega checkpoint they recently mounted at Unguwar Jeji.’

He added that other security agencies had completely withdrawn from the road, recalling that immediately after Bunza town, there were two checkpoints – one for the military and another for the police.

‘They have all been abandoned for several months. What happened was that the Lakurawa terrorists warned the military and policemen manning the checkpoints to leave the place after they spotted policemen on duty collecting bribes from commercial motorcyclists,’ he said.

He lamented that the withdrawal is aiding smuggling, as according to him, ‘Illegal smugglers are now operating unchecked along the road.

Another resident, who also pleaded anonymity, said the absence of security personnel along the road has exposed several communities to bandit attacks.

‘In the whole of Bunza town, we don’t have a military or police base. Just last Friday, the Lakurawa terrorists chased away the soldiers manning the only remaining military checkpoint in Bunza town.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said some of the checkpoints along the Maje-Bagudo route were deliberately collapsed, and others fortified in order to strengthen operations in the axis.

‘Any perceived reduction in the number of static checkpoints along the border routes should not be misconstrued as a reduction in security presence. Rather, it is part of a deliberate tactical shift towards more dynamic, intelligence-led and unpredictable patrol operations, including the Aberdeen patrol system.

‘This approach has become necessary in view of the evolving tactics of criminal elements, including bandits and Lakurawa, who have increasingly targeted static security positions.

‘By combining mobile patrols, intelligence gathering and joint operations with other security agencies, the Command is able to maintain effective coverage of routes such as Kalgo-Kamba while reducing the vulnerability of personnel and enhancing the safety of commuters and communities along the routes.

‘Our deployment strategy remains dynamic and is continuously reviewed in response to emerging threats and intelligence,’ SP Usman said.

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has cautioned political actors and public institutions against using state resources, government machinery and security agencies to manipulate Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

IPAC National Chairman, Dr Yusuf Dantalle, gave the warning on Monday at a press briefing in Abuja following a meeting of the council’s General Assembly on the political situation in the state.

Dantalle said the election must reflect the free choice of the people, warning that no political party, candidate or public institution should enjoy an unfair advantage because it controls governmental structures.

He said government institutions belonged to the people and must not be turned into instruments of partisan political competition.

‘IPAC strongly condemns the use or abuse of state institutions, public resources, governmental machinery or security apparatus to intimidate political opponents, suppress legitimate political activity, manipulate the electoral process or influence the free choice of voters,’ he said.

The council also condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) freezing of Osun State Government accounts, describing the action as politically motivated and capable of undermining the administration of the state.

It urged the anti-graft agency to exercise caution and pursue investigations into alleged financial impropriety without actions that could affect essential services and the welfare of citizens.

Dantalle said freezing the accounts could affect the payment of salaries and other legitimate entitlements of civil servants, urging the EFCC to operate within the law and respect citizens’ rights.

‘Government institutions belong to the people and must remain institutions of the state, not instruments of partisan political competition,’ he said.

IPAC called on security agencies to remain professional, impartial and non-partisan, saying their deployment should provide confidence and protection to voters rather than create fear or intimidation.

It also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the election transparently and ensure equal treatment of all parties and candidates.

The council appealed to political parties and their supporters to reject violence, vote buying, intimidation and inflammatory statements.

It urged the people of Osun to vote according to their conscience, remain peaceful and allow electoral officials to perform their duties.

For decades, Nigeria’s challenge has not been a shortage of ideas. From universities and research institutions to technology hubs and workshops, Nigerians have continued to develop solutions to problems confronting the country. The bigger challenge has been turning those ideas into products, factories, businesses and jobs.

It is against this background that the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration by moving Nigerian innovations from laboratories to the factory floor and into the marketplace.

A visit to the Agency by members of the Presidential Renewed Hope Media Tour offered a glimpse into how that ambition is taking shape. The team, comprising members of the Presidential Communications Team, government officials, journalists and private-sector partners, toured several NASENI facilities in Abuja on August 4, 2026, as part of a nationwide exercise to showcase projects and policies of the Tinubu administration to the public.

What the team encountered ranged from locally assembled electric vehicles, e-tricycles and drones to solar technologies, agricultural innovations, rapid diagnostic kits and advanced reverse-engineering equipment. For the officials who participated in the tour, the developments showcased domestic industrial capacity to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported technologies.

Special Adviser to the President on Communication, Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who spoke on behalf of the Presidential Media Team, described what he saw at NASENI in three words: ‘impressive, impressive, impressive.’ According to him, the technologies demonstrated the capabilities of Nigerian youths to perform at a high level when given the right leadership, institutional support and environment.

The visit also provided NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, an opportunity to explain the thinking behind the agency’s transformation over the past three years. Halilu said NASENI was moving away from the traditional perception of a research institution whose work ends with the production of prototypes.

Instead, he said the Agency is increasingly focusing on technology transfer, adaptation, domestication, strategic partnerships and commercialisation anchored on NASENI’s ‘3Cs’ principles of Creation, Collaboration and Commercialization.

The objective is to create indigenous solutions, collaborate with local and international partners and ensure that successful innovations are commercialised. But Halilu cautioned against interpreting local content as an obligation to manufacture every component of every product in Nigeria. He argued that such an approach would be impractical in a global economy where even the world’s biggest technology companies rely on complex international supply chains.

For NASENI, he explained, the priority is to identify Nigeria’s areas of comparative advantage, build technical capacity around them and use partnerships to fill the gaps. The approach is expected to create jobs, reduce production time, lower import dependence and add value to the economy. The Agency’s presentation to the media team showed that its activities now span more than eight industrial sectors, with projects and partnerships covering the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Among the most prominent is the NASENI-Troment factory in Idu, Abuja, where the Agency is supporting local production of rapid diagnostic kits to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported rapid-test kits by about 80 per cent, while creating local capacity for continued innovation in medical technology.

The Agency is also taking the industrialisation drive into renewable energy. At Gora in Nasarawa State, it is developing a 40-hectare Solar Industrial Park designed to support domestic solar manufacturing at scale. Other initiatives include CNG conversion and refilling facilities in Abuja, as well as a solar streetlight production partnership in Ogun State.

The projects are coming at a time when Nigeria is searching for ways to address its energy challenges while reducing the cost of doing business. NASENI’s electric mobility programme is another area receiving attention. During the media tour, visitors were shown locally assembled electric vehicles, e-tricycles and e-bikes as part of efforts to develop domestic capacity in the emerging clean-transport industry.

The Agency’s also highlighted partnerships with foreign governments and technology companies as an important part of its strategy. Through the DELTA-2 programme, Nigeria is collaborating with the Czech Republic on technology transfer and applied research. It is also deepening collaboration on technology transfer for a coal-based fertiliser plant and deepening collaboration with universities, industries and development partners.

At its facilities, visitors were exposed to drone technologies being developed for surveillance, agriculture, building washing, precision flight and drone shows. Some surveillance drones have been developed with capabilities for precise take-off, return and landing, while agricultural drones can be programmed to undertake autonomous crop spraying. NASENI has also trained drone pilots, including female engineers, and is positioning its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs) training facilities to provide skills for government personnel, farmers and other users.

Beyond drones, its other strategic technology programme includes defence and security applications, with the Defence Equipment Reverse Engineering Centre in Bwari focused on local repair and reproduction of critical equipment with the objective to strengthen Nigeria’s technological sovereignty in areas where dependence on foreign suppliers could have security implications.

Perhaps one of the clearest demonstrations of NASENI’s industrial strategy was the visit to its Centre of Excellence, where advanced reverse-engineering and precision-manufacturing equipment are being produced for industrial components. A seven-axis scanner at the Centre has an accuracy of between two and three microns and can capture physical components and convert them into computer-aided design files.

That capability allows engineers to reproduce components more rapidly, improve accuracy and reduce human error. The centre can also receive samples from industries, reverse-engineer them and produce customised moulds for mass production. For Nigerian manufacturers, the implication is potentially significant. Instead of waiting for imported components or sending damaged parts abroad for reproduction, local industries can increasingly rely on domestic engineering capacity.

The Agency is also applying the concept of local production to industrial waste. Scrap iron generated from its operations is recycled through an in-house furnace and converted into new products, including horseshoes. The process, NASENI said, is part of its zero-waste manufacturing approach, turning what would ordinarily be industrial waste into productive inputs.

The transformation being pursued by NASENI is not limited to machinery and factories. It is also investing in the people expected to operate and sustain Nigeria’s future industrial economy. Its FutureMakers Programme focuses on exposing children between five and 16 years to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Programmes such as DELT-Her and SheFly are aimed at increasing the participation of women in engineering, drone technology and research. NASENI also operates skill acquisition initiatives and the InnovateNaija Challenge, which it says has a N500 million prize fund to identify, support and commercialise promising Nigerian innovations.

Halilu said innovators are screened through an online platform and successful applicants receive mentorship and connections to factories and other partners capable of helping them scale their ideas. This emphasis on scaling is crucial to NASENI’s new direction.

That is why the Agency has also established NASENI HoldCo as its commercial and investment vehicle and created the NASENI Showroom to connect indigenous technologies with investors, businesses and consumers. It is equally using research commercialisation grants to support the transition of academic research into market-ready products.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the developments at NASENI deserved greater public attention. He called on the media to communicate government achievements more effectively, while acknowledging that much more still needed to be done. Idris cited investments in renal and cancer treatment centres and other interventions as examples of developments that should be brought to the attention of Nigerians.

He urged the media to intensify coverage of government programmes and promote informed public discourse, saying political differences should not be allowed to overshadow national development. Other members of the Presidential Communications Team also called for stronger government patronage of Nigerian technologies.

Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, stressed the importance of strategic communication, increased public-sector patronage and greater visibility for Nigerian innovations. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, described the NASENI visit as a ‘massive eye-opener’, adding that NASENI’s contribution to strengthening the Nigeria First Policy would ensure public expenditure helps build domestic industrial capacity.

The Agency’s leadership says its ultimate objective is not simply to produce technologies but to create sustainable businesses around them. Its six strategic areas include innovation, clean energy, made-in-Nigeria manufacturing, food systems, future skills and strategic technologies. The common thread is industrialisation.

The Presidential Renewed Hope Media Tour presented NASENI not simply as another government agency occupying a more direct position in Nigeria’s industrialisation process.

NASENI’s emerging model is based on a simple proposition: Nigeria does not have to produce everything itself, but it must develop the capacity to produce what it can, master the technologies it acquires, build partnerships around its strengths and ensure that innovation contributes directly to economic growth. The facilities visited by the media team suggest that the process has begun to ensure the factories, jobs, exports and businesses that can make industrialisation a measurable reality for Nigerians.