To boost Science and Technology development in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the placement of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure
(NASENI) directly under the supervision of the Presidency instead of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
He also directed the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to remit the statutory deductions accruable to
NASENI immediately.
The agency is statutorily mandated to get one to two per cent of the Federation Account as contained in its establishment law.
The directive followed the upholding of the decision of the Governing Board of NASENI, headed by Buhari as the Chairman.
The directive has also been communicated to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed.
In the NASENI Establishment Act 2004, FIRS is statutorily expected to deduct and remit to it a quarter per cent of the levy on turnover of firms earning over N100 million and above.
Although NASENI was established in 1992 by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime, the law guiding its funding has not been complied with by successive administrations.
But in January, Buhari decided to ensure total compliance with NASENI Act.
According to a letter from the Presidency, signed by the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, FIRS has been directed to remit the deducted levy on turnover as approved by Buhari.
The letter reads: “I write to inform you that on 24th January 2021, Mr. President approved the prayers of the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, on the funding of NASENI activities.
“In accordance with NASENI Establishment Act, one of the prayers of the EVC relates to the funding of the agency via a levy on income or turnover of commercial companies and firms with turnover of N4 million (later increased to N100 million) by the NASENI Governing Board) at the rate of a quarter per cent (1/4 %) of turnover.
“Accordingly, you are kindly requested to act on the implementation of this provision of NASENI Act as soon as possible.”
It was learnt that the presidential directive was informed by seven key projects (inventions) being undertaking by NASENI with funding as a major hindrance.
One of the key projects is a Made-In-Nigeria helicopter which Buhari has mandated NASENI to produce.
Others are as follow:
· Establishment of First Made-In- Nigeria Transformer Plant and High Voltage Testing Laboratory to be located in Okene, Kogi State.
· First Made-In-Nigeria Plant for the manufacturing of Silica which is the major materials needed for local manufacturing of solar panels to resolve alternative/Renewable Energy supply for the nation.
· Funding of the plant for First Made-In-Nigeria Smart Prepaid Energy Meter (SPEM), which is already patented, before transferring them to private sector entrepreneurs as stipulated by its mandate.
· Establishment of Zonal (Six geo-political Zones) Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Development Institutes which had already been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari
· Completion of work on First Made-in-Nigeria E-Voting solutions designed and produced by Nigerian Engineers in NASENI.
· Completion of work on Reverse Engineering process of 5 Kilowatt small Hydro Kinetic Turbine. This project is to facilitate energy supply to Nigeria rural areas as alternative to National Grid. etc.
A document explained how the decision to implement NASENI Act was taken by the President.
The document said in part: “The President is the chairman of the Governing Board of NASENI. But the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, in his memo to the Governing Board on December 30, 2020 requested for the implementations of the Statutory funding of the agency as provided for in NASENI Act to finance its projects and activities.
“While reflecting on the state of Nigeria’s response so far on the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual meeting at the Presidential Villa on January 26th, 2021, the President observed that Nigeria’s continued reliance on solutions from other countries was a revelation of the research and development gap in the nation.
“He, in addition, therefore, directed NASENI to scale up its responses to the pandemic in order to find appropriate solutions to prevent the further spread and treatment of the virus.
“Sitting as the Chair of the Board, the President stressed that for NASENI to succeed, it must be empowered through adequate provision of financial, human and material resources and allowed to exercise independence to forge partnerships.
“He said by its mandate, NASENI is strategically poised to develop local capacity in machine building and fabrication, which is critical to Nigeria’s industrial development. However, in order for it to realise its full potential, NASENI must be empowered through the provision of adequate financial, human and material resources and be given the autonomy and independence to forge international partnerships to acquire the relevant technologies for social, economic and industrial advancement of the country.
“In this regard, I have directed the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and Federal Inland Revenue Services to commence remittances of funds approved by law to the agency.”
It is important to note that:
NASENI was founded as mechanism to stimulate linkages between science and technology, academics and the industrial sector on the one hand and the country’s economic and industrial transformation on the other.
The agency was established by the National Assembly Establishment ACT, 2004 CAP N3 Laws of the Federation (formerly Decree 1992 Decree of ex-President Ibrahim Babangida’s Military regime)
(2) The funding mechanism for the Agency is stipulated under Financial Provisions; PART VI, Section 20 of the ACT.
It states thus:
(1) The Agency shall establish a fund from which shall be defrayed all expenditure incurred by the Agency for the purpose of this ACT.
(2) There shall be paid and credited to the fund:
(a) 1 per cent of the Federation Account in the first instance, to be increased to 2 per cent by the year 2000.
(b) Levy on income or turn-over of commercial companies and firms with turnover of N4 million and above, which shall be-
(i) At the rate of quarter per cent in the first instance:
(ii) Collected by the Federal Board of Inland Revenue or by any other suitable means as may be specified by the Agency; and
(iii) Credited to the account of the Agency.
(c) Contributions from the organised private sector;
(d) Foreign aid and instance from bilateral and multilateral agencies;
(e) Fees charged for services rendered by the Agency;
(f) All sums accruing to the agency by way of gifts, endowments, bequest or other voluntary contributions by persons and organizations.
A source declared that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that NASENI be placed under the direct supervision of the Presidency instead of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
The document added: “The President also observed that the enabling law of the agency was promulgated to an Act in 2004, adding that Section 2, Subsection 1 and 3 of NASENI Act provides for a governing board of the agency under the chairmanship of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“According to the president, “It is important for NASENI Board to note that agencies of government with similar mandate as NASENI in many countries are under the supervision of their respective heads of states and government. This administration has a premium and importance attached to home grown technology, science and engineering infrastructure towards the social economic and technological development of the country.”
Buhari also ordered NASENI to deploy all the tractors which the Agency is currently refurbishing and are housed at its institute in Minna, Niger State.
Buhari, while receiving briefing from the Agency, said one of the most crucial modern implements required to till the ground to aid farmers to realise bountiful harvests are farming aids like tractors.
The Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, discloced to the President that several of such tractors are currently being refurbished through the Partnership arrangement amongst the trio of Machine & Equipment Corsotium Africa (MECA) in partnership with NASENI and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agriculture Lending (NIRSAL).
During the briefing, Haruna said the President expressed satisfaction with the activities of the Agency, most especially the efforts to fabricate agricultural tools and reverse-engineering of modern machines and equipment aimed at boosting agricultural activities which is a cardinal objective of his administration to revamp the Agricultural sector.
Recently at a forum, Buhari reiterated the determination of his administration to resolve the unemployment and job creation issues in the country through his administration’s more focus and investment specifically in the Agriculture sector.
While speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting with the President, Haruna told journalists that “President Buhari was eager to see that the tractors were deployed to farmers before the next farming season”.
He said the President was concerned about the state of drudgery and suffering by farmers without modern farm implements, stating that his administration would do everything within its powers to improve on Agriculture, while making sure that government deploys every resource within the system to improve on the practice and incentives for Agriculture ”
The President, according to Haruna, ordered him to report to the Villa soon with reports on the implementation of the presidential directive on the deployment of the tractors and also the directive that the board meeting of the Agency should be convened immediately, adding that “an agency like NASENI was set up by the founding fathers in 1992 to bridge the technology and infrastructure gaps between a country like Nigeria and most developed countries of the world whose secrets of advanced socio-economic well-being was their continued investment in science, technology and research”.
The EVC of NASENI disclosed that the mandate of the Agency is to build Nigeria and Nigerians’ confidence in providing capital goods, machines and equipment needed for industrialisation and transformation of the Nigeria economy.
He said the marching order given to him by the President and the availability of the tractors already on ground in the Agency was a proof that the Agency was fulfilling or alive with its mandate. According to him “all the Agency need is support by every Nigerians and governments so we can continue to fulfil our mandate to the nation.”
Amongst other outstanding inventions and innovations by NASENI include: the production of first Made-in-Nigeria Tricycle (KEKE NASENI) both Passenger and cargo types. The technology has just been handed over to Innoson Vehicle Nigeria LTD for commercialisation and mass production for the markets. NASENI has designed and produced First Made-in-Nigeria Motorcycle, First Made-In-Nigeria Solar Powered Electronic Voting device. NASENI is the Agency of government currently manufacturing local Solar panels and other solar products and accessories in the whole of West Africa.
NASENI has produced first made-in-Nigeria transformers which was designed and produced by Nigerian Engineers who were trained recently in China, all engineers in NASENI.
The Agency has produced an unmmaned Aerial vehicle (UAV) used for the purpose of Agriculture (spraying of insecticides on farms) and surveillance purpose and many more.
