A federal government agency, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has expressed concern regarding the insufficient support for Nigerian-made products among the local populace.
The agency has identified several factors contributing to this issue, including affordability and public perception.
During a stakeholders meeting held on Thursday in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, the Deputy Director of Engineering at NASENI, Joseph Alasoluyi, noted that Nigerians tend to favour foreign goods over domestic alternatives.
Nevertheless, Alasoluyi revealed that the agency has trained over 50 individuals in the production of handmade products to encourage the patronage of locally made items.
He further explained that NASENI was established to advance science, technology, and engineering as essential components of Nigeria’s development, currently operating 12 institutes across the country to fulfil its mission.
He emphasised that President Bola Tinubu, who serves as the overall chairman of NASENI, aims to enhance the production and consumption of local products, thereby generating employment opportunities for many.
He said, “The idea of this programme is to interface to ensure we produce products using our indigenous technology. This is what NASENI is out for, to ensure that homegrown technologies are encouraged.
“We are out there to ensure we integrate efforts to ensure that local technology is used to develop products within the resources we have.
” The NASENI’s ‘3 Cs’ – Creation, Collaboration, and Commercialisation – that define NASENI’s strategic mandate: Creating innovations through research, Collaborating with partners to develop and refine products, and Commercialising these solutions to benefit the economy.
“Our achievements include the development of solar irrigation systems, CNG conversion centres, building machines capable of producing up to 1,000 blocks per hour, 10-inch tablets, locally made laptops, and electric tricycles (Keke Napep) set for market launch.”
In his address, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Samuel Oluyamo, criticised the Federal Government for inadequately funding research at universities.
He pointed out that numerous research projects are abandoned midway due to insufficient financial resources and weak connections between research institutions and the industry.
Oluyamo further questioned the federal government’s dedication to supporting research and development, highlighting that many academic innovations are left unutilized because of a lack of commercialisation support and inadequate infrastructure.
“Until we upscale research into mass production, technological growth will remain elusive. The government is not funding research in the universities enough. Thank God for TETfund that is trying in this regime. The major interest in beefing up research in universities and research institutions is really not there,” he said.
