By Faridat Salifu
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is set to launch its ‘Irrigate Nigeria’ project, designed to combat Nigeria’s food scarcity by equipping farmers with modern irrigation technologies.
This initiative aims to empower farmers to cultivate crops during the dry season, enabling up to three farming cycles annually, which could significantly increase agricultural productivity.
NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman, Khalil Halilu, shared recently with the press that the project has already been successfully trialed at the Agency’s Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI) greenhouse in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He said the positive results from this trial suggest that the project could provide a viable solution to Nigeria’s chronic food insecurity, which has been exacerbated by unpredictable weather patterns and limited access to irrigation.
Beyond its focus on agriculture, Halilu said NASENI is making notable strides in renewable energy.
The agency recently upgraded its NASENI Solar Energy Company Ltd (NSEL) from 22 megawatts to 50 megawatts in 2024 and plans to expand capacity to over 100 megawatts by 2025 to meet the growing demand for clean energy solutions.
This expansion is a crucial part of NASENI’s broader strategy to promote energy sustainability in Nigeria.
In addition, NASENI is constructing a Solar Industrial Park in Nasarawa State aimed at electric vehicle (EV) assembly, while continuing operations at its NASENI/Portland CNG center in Utako, which remains the largest in the country. These efforts reflect NASENI’s commitment to driving technological innovation that supports both food security and renewable energy development.
The Agency has also outlined goals for its future impact.
Within the next five years, NASENI plans to lift 2.5 million Nigerians out of poverty through its technology transfer initiatives. By 2030, NASENI aims to reduce Nigeria’s import bills by 25 percent, saving the country $37.4 billion, and create over three million jobs by transferring technology knowledge to 300,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
NASENI said, to date, it has launched 35 market-ready products, including electric tricycles, solar home systems, lithium batteries, and solar irrigation equipment, with some of these already in use across the country.
The agency is also reviving 55,000 defunct tractors, converting them to cleaner energy options like Compressed and Liquefied Natural Gas.