The new Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, Mr. Khalil Halilu, has stated that Nigeria cannot neglect its technological talent.
According to The Punch, in a recent address to the agency’s management and workers. he claimed that Nigerian talents are among the greatest in the world and are making progress in many parts of the globe.
He made a point of saying that one of his goals for the agency’s EVC is to support technology transfer. In a statement, Halilu stated, “The area of technology transfer is the first thing we want to look at; everyone is looking at Africa, and there has never been a better opportunity than this. Other nations are vying with Africa in particular to bring and trade innovations.
“We must not undervalue our talents. Nigerians are some of the best people in the world at what we do. All of this richness of experience must be brought in. We’ll make sure to create the conditions and resources required to carry out this mandate.
He added that the agency’s responsibility is to utilize the nation’s resources, capabilities, and talents, capacity, and energy to drive economic development priority areas of the new administration.
The emphasis, he said, is on using innovation, science, and technology resources to benefit Nigerians and boost the country’s economy.
“We will embrace, adapt, and domesticate advanced technology wherever we find them,” he continued.
We’ll create a pool of educated and gifted workers, support top-notch research and development, and establish relationships and international collaborations throughout Nigeria, Africa, and the rest of the world.
We will work together with federal, state, and local government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies as well as the private sector, the global community, development partners, and the media.
The new EVC went on to say that Nigeria has great chances to advance in the fields of innovation, science, technology, and engineering.
The Coordinating Director of Planning and Business Development, Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi, was in charge of welcoming the new CEO of the agency and gave him a tour of the facilities, according to the release.
Halilu recently took over for Dr Bashir Gwandu, who had served as the agency’s CEO since May 2023 and had been approved as the agency’s substantive EVC/CEO by former president Muhammadu Buhari.