The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, and the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, have sealed an agreement to institutionalize the Federal Government’s “Nigeria First” olicy across all procurement and project implementation activities.
The agreement, signed at the BPP headquarters in Abuja, formalizes a working relationship aimed at ensuring that locally developed technologies and products—particularly those by NASENI—are prioritized in the procurement plans of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. The collaboration also seeks to boost domestic production, support local innovation, and reinforce economic independence.
The “Nigeria First” Policy is a flagship initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government, designed to promote local content in public procurement, encourage Nigerian innovation, and limit overreliance on imported goods. It focuses on utilizing Nigerian-made products and services, fostering entrepreneurship, creating jobs, and stimulating economic growth through industrialization.
At the MoU signing, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, noted that the agreement is a breakthrough in efforts to ensure the widespread adoption of NASENI’s over 50 market-ready products, many of which had previously remained underutilized despite meeting global standards.
“With this MoU, 80 percent of the challenges we face in gaining local acceptance and investor confidence have been addressed,” Halilu said. “We can now confidently shift from prototype development to commercial deployment. NASENI is no longer just a research outfit—we are producing real, scalable solutions for Nigerian problems.”
Halilu highlighted ongoing NASENI projects, including the establishment of Africa’s largest renewable energy park in Nasarawa State and a strategic partnership with the Abuja Technology Village aimed at accelerating technology transfer, boosting local manufacturing, and converting research installations into fully operational production facilities.
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He also revealed that NASENI’s recent international collaborations, particularly with China, have already secured over $2 billion in project investments, underscoring the agency’s increasing relevance in global innovation ecosystems.
Speaking at the event, Director-General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, described the MoU as a transformative milestone in aligning procurement strategy with national development objectives.
“This is more than paperwork,” Adedokun stated. “It’s a structured bridge between innovation and procurement. By integrating NASENI’s catalogue into the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal, NOCOP, we are ensuring that local solutions take center stage in public service delivery.”
Adedokun emphasized that MDAs must now treat Nigerian-made technologies as the default option in procurement decisions, stating that “from tractors to tablets, surveillance drones to solar power systems, NASENI’s solutions are verifiable, certified by SON and NAFDAC, and ready for use.”
The BPP DG also cited recent cost savings achieved through improved procurement transparency. Between January and June 2025, NOCOPO’s enhanced price intelligence reportedly helped Nigeria save ₦173 billion, $155 million, and €1.7 million in contract spending.
“The Nigeria First Policy is not protectionism. It’s a performance-driven act of patriotism,” he said. “We’re not just buying local for its own sake—we’re buying local because it meets and exceeds the standards.”
Adedokun urged other MDAs to follow NASENI’s lead and actively promote indigenous products. He also referenced the new procurement thresholds—₦5 billion for goods and ₦10 billion for works—as reforms intended to accelerate decision-making while retaining oversight through strengthened audit mechanisms.
He concluded by assuring stakeholders that BPP would support the policy’s implementation through continuous reform actions, making it harder for MDAs to justify importing alternatives when quality local options are readily available.
Crediblenewsng.com
