News Highlights:
- Over 2,000 Kano households were empowered with NASENI Clean Cookstoves, Solar Home Systems, and other locally made tools to improve access to clean, reliable energy.
- Government endorsed NASENI’s Zero Carbon (ZeCo) Project, with Minister Jumoke Oduwole affirming its alignment with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Kano State has become the latest beneficiary of Nigeria’s push toward sustainable energy, as the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) rolled out its Sustainable Empowerment Programme to more than 2,000 households.
The initiative, launched on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Fabs Event Centre, provided families with NASENI Clean Cookstoves, Solar Home Systems, and other locally made tools designed to reduce carbon emissions and improve access to reliable energy.
The event was not just about distributing equipment—it was framed as a turning point in Nigeria’s industrial and environmental agenda.
Flagging off the programme, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, emphasized its significance: “The NASENI Sustainable Empowerment Programme is a practical demonstration of how Nigeria’s industrial, trade, and investment agenda is being translated into real outcomes for citizens.”
She praised NASENI’s leadership for advancing the Nigeria First policy and aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the programme supports priorities such as industrialization, job creation, and inclusive growth.
Highlighting Kano’s historical role as a commercial hub, she added: “Kano’s selection as host for this programme is particularly significant. Historically, Kano has been one of West Africa’s major commercial and manufacturing hubs, with deep strengths in trade, textiles, agro-processing, and enterprise.”
Dr. Oduwole further linked the initiative to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stressing that localized technology deployment strengthens Nigeria’s competitiveness: “Thank you EVC for your commitment to advancing indigenous innovation, strengthening domestic industrial capacity and positioning Nigerian-made solutions as competitive drivers of sustainable trade expansion and national prosperity.”
In his welcome remarks, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, explained the practical benefits of the tools, saying, “These are Nigerian-made solutions, built for Nigerian realities. This programme is part of NASENI’s bigger mission — the Zero Carbon (ZeCo) Project.”
He described the ZeCo Project as a national effort to cut emissions, protect the environment, and promote cleaner energy.
Halilu underscored the human dimension of the programme, noting, “What you are receiving today is not just support; it is part of a larger national effort to build a cleaner and healthier Nigeria. This programme is not just about empowerment. It is about dignity. It is about improving your quality of life. It is about giving you tools to do more, earn more, and live better.”
To the beneficiaries, he said, “Use these tools wisely. Take care of them. Let them improve your homes and your businesses. Let them support your families and your future.”
Goodwill messages came from key stakeholders, including Dr. Mohammed Dahiru, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Technology Transfer (PICTT); Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment; Mrs. Patience Okala, National Coordinator of AfCFTA; and Alhaji Salisu Mustapha, representing the Kano State Government’s Head of Service.
