NASENI Empowers 250 Ohafia Residents With Solar Solutions, Cookstoves
By Pan Afric Reporters
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has empowered 250 indigenes of Asaga, Ohafia, Abia State, with renewable-energy technologies and other productive tools under its Sustainable Empowerment Programme (NSEP).
In a statement issued by NASENI and e-signed by its Director of Information, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, on August 27, 2026, the agency said the intervention was designed to equip beneficiaries with relevant skills and technologies to improve productivity, build sustainable livelihoods and participate in Nigeria’s emerging innovation-driven economy.
The empowerment programme, which took place on Thursday in Abia State, provided beneficiaries with NASENI Home Solar Solutions, including solar fans, solar panels and power banks, as well as NASENI cookstoves and other empowerment support.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the agency’s intervention was part of its effort to move science, technology and engineering beyond laboratories and institutions into communities where they could directly improve livelihoods.
“We believe that science, technology and engineering must move beyond laboratories and institutions and translate into practical solutions that improve livelihoods, create opportunities and strengthen communities. That is the thinking behind NSEP,” Halilu said.
He said the choice of Abia State was particularly significant because of the state’s longstanding reputation for enterprise, creativity, manufacturing and innovation.
According to him, these qualities align with the strategic direction of the new NASENI, which he said was focused on “Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation.”
“Through this programme, we are taking NASENI directly to Nigerians, providing relevant skills, tools and technologies that can help people become more productive, build sustainable livelihoods and participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s growing innovation-driven economy,” he said.
Halilu explained that the agency was moving away from research conducted solely for academic purposes towards the development and deployment of practical solutions capable of being adopted by individuals, businesses and industries.
He urged the beneficiaries to view the support not as a handout but as an investment in their productive capacity, charging them to deploy the equipment and skills received to create value and improve their livelihoods.
“To our beneficiaries, the support you receive today is not simply a handout. It is an opportunity and an investment in your productive capacity. We expect you to put it to work, create value from it, improve your livelihoods and, where possible, create opportunities for others,” the NASENI boss said.
He added that the agency would monitor the impact of the intervention, stressing that the success of the programme would ultimately be measured by its effect on beneficiaries and their communities.
Halilu said NASENI would not measure its performance merely by the number of programmes organised or items distributed, but by the number of lives improved, businesses strengthened, jobs supported and communities made more productive.
In his goodwill message, the Managing Director of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Ume Takang, commended NASENI for taking the NSEP initiative to Ohafia, describing the intervention as an indication that Nigerians were beginning to feel the impact of government programmes.
Takang said the programme would contribute to job creation, self-reliance and economic empowerment, particularly among young people in the state.
He called for stronger collaboration between MOFI and NASENI to expand the initiative and enable more young people in Abia State to develop and maximise their existing entrepreneurial and productive potentials.
The NASENI Sustainable Empowerment Programme is part of the agency’s broader drive to deploy science, technology and engineering solutions directly to communities while equipping Nigerians with tools and skills capable of supporting sustainable livelihoods.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that its technological innovations translate into tangible economic opportunities and improved living standards for Nigerians.
