For many organisations, staff award ceremonies are little more than annual rituals. Employees gather in colourful attire, plaques are presented, photographs are taken and the lights go out until another year. But at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), the 2025 Staff Motivation and Reward Night represented something much deeper than an evening of celebration. Held in Abuja on Saturday, July 19, 2026, the event demonstrated how the Agency is deliberately building a performance-driven staff culture where innovation, professionalism and commitment are recognised as essential ingredients for national development. More importantly, it reflects NASENI’s broader transformation agenda—one that seeks to reposition science, engineering and technology as the backbone of Nigeria’s industrialisation drive under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. With the theme, “Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Commitment,” the gathering brought together management, staff, retired officers, heads of institutes and stakeholders to honour those whose efforts contributed to what the Agency described as one of its most successful operational year. In his keynote address, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, reminded staff that the occasion was not simply about trophies and certificates. Rather, he described it as a celebration of the people whose commitment has powered the Agency’s remarkable transformation over the past three years. Zamfara pledges support for World Bank-backed reform programmes AG mandated us to open accounts for ‘phantom’ council – CBN Although the ceremony came later than originally scheduled, Halilu noted that excellence never loses its value, stressing that good work deserves recognition whenever it is celebrated. According to him, the achievements recorded across the Agency were possible because thousands of staff members had embraced a common vision of innovation, professionalism and service. His remarks reflected a growing philosophy within NASENI—that people remain the Agency’s greatest asset. Rather than viewing employees merely as administrators or engineers, management sees them as innovators capable of designing solutions to some of Nigeria’s biggest developmental challenges. That philosophy is gradually reshaping the Agency’s internal culture. Central to NASENI’s transformation strategy are what Halilu described as the three 3Cs—Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation. The first pillar (Creation) focuses on creating technologies that directly solve Nigerian problems instead of relying on imported alternatives. The second (Collaboration) encourages partnerships between government institutions, the private sector, academia and international organisations to accelerate technological development. The third (Commercialisation) ensures that innovations do not remain inside research laboratories but are successfully commercialised for widespread use. Taken together, the 3Cs principles have become the framework guiding virtually every programme currently being implemented by NASENI. They also align closely with President Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda, which places significant emphasis on local production, job creation, technology transfer and economic diversification. Perhaps the strongest evidence of the Agency’s transformation lies in its growing portfolio of commercially viable products. According to Halilu, NASENI has now developed more than 44 Made-in-Nigeria products capable of competing in the marketplace. These include locally assembled laptops and smartphones, solar-powered irrigation pumps, electric tricycles and several other technologies designed to improve productivity while reducing dependence on imported products. The emphasis is no longer on conducting research merely for academic purposes. Instead, innovations are increasingly being designed with commercial viability in mind. This represents a significant shift from the traditional perception of government research agencies. Rather than ending with prototype development, NASENI is now placing equal emphasis on manufacturing, market access and sustainability. Such an approach not only promotes indigenous technology but also stimulates local industries and creates employment opportunities for Nigerian youths. The transformation extends beyond products. NASENI is also investing heavily in infrastructure capable of supporting long-term industrial development. One of the flagship projects highlighted by Halilu is the ongoing 40-hectare NASENI Solar Industrial Park located in Gora, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. When fully operational, the industrial park is expected to serve as a major manufacturing hub for renewable energy technologies while attracting private sector investment into clean energy production. It reflects a broader strategy of developing industrial clusters that combine m
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