NASENI, NELFUND explore partnership to link education with innovation in Nigeria
Date: 2026-04-04
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has engaged
the management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) in discussions
aimed at strengthening collaboration between education, innovation, and
national development.
The
meeting, held at NASENI’s headquarters in Idu, Abuja, brought together the
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman
Halilu, and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND,
Akintunde Sawyerr, alongside their respective teams.
Discussions
focused on developing synergies that connect access to education with skills
development, innovation, and productivity, in line with broader efforts to
enhance Nigeria’s human capital and industrial capacity.
As
part of the engagement, the NASENI leadership conducted a tour of its
facilities for the NELFUND delegation, showcasing a range of locally developed
technologies and solutions. These included the Agency’s Innovation Hub, solar
irrigation systems, the HatchBox system, and electric vehicles, all designed to
address critical development challenges while promoting local manufacturing and
technological advancement.
Halilu
reiterated NASENI’s commitment to bridging the gap between knowledge
acquisition and practical application through its 3Cs framework of Creation,
Collaboration, and Commercialisation. He emphasized that strategic partnerships
remain essential to unlocking innovation potential and ensuring that education
translates into tangible economic outcomes.
The
engagement signals a growing alignment between Nigeria’s education financing
initiatives and its innovation ecosystem, with both institutions seeking to
create pathways that empower young people with the skills and tools needed to
contribute meaningfully to national development.
