Dr. Bashir Gwandu has officially taken up his role as the new executive vice chairman/chief executive officer (EVC/CEO) of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
The handover ceremony took place on Monday, May 22, 2023, at the NASENI Headquarters in Abuja.
Gwandu succeeded Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi, who had been overseeing the agency’s activities until his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari, who also serves as the chairman of the NASENI governing board.
The appointment of Gwandu was announced in a letter dated May 19, 2023, from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The letter, with reference number SGF.51/S.4/T/93, marked the end of the 10-year tenure of the former EVC/CEO, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, in April 2023. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) subsequently directed Haruna to hand over the affairs of the agency to the most senior officer until a substantive EVC/CEO was appointed.
Gwandu’s appointment as the EVC/CEO of NASENI became effective on May 12, 2023.
Upon his arrival at the agency on Monday, Gwandu embarked on a tour of NASENI’s facilities. Accompanied by Mrs. Nonyem Onyechi and other members of the management staff, he familiarised himself with the various departments and infrastructure within the agency.
Gwandu is a highly accomplished professional in the field of electrical engineering. He holds a BSc, multiple master’s degrees, and a PhD in electrical engineering from renowned universities worldwide. Throughout his career, he has designed numerous devices that are utilised in various industries, including telecommunications, oil and gas, power, defence and aviation. Some of his designs have been patented in Europe and the United States.
As a distinguished electrical engineer, Gwandu is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Technology (IET), UK, since 2010. His contributions to the field are widely recognised, as evidenced by his publication of over 40 research papers in prestigious electrical engineering journals and conference proceedings. His technical publications have garnered significant international citations, attesting to their exceptional quality.
Prior to his appointment at NASENI, Gwandu held various leadership positions in the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He served as the acting EVC/CEO of the NCC in 2010 and was the executive commissioner for engineering and technical standards. His responsibilities included overseeing national spectrum planning, monitoring and management, quality of service monitoring and network optimisation, equipment conformance assessment, interoperability testing and type-approval, numbering plan, allocation and management, licensing, and consumer affairs.
Gwandu’s expertise extends beyond Nigeria, as he has been part of several Nigerian Presidential/Ministerial think-tank committees and has represented the country at various international conferences, including UN World Telecommunications Conferences.
With Gwandu assuming the role of EVC/CEO, NASENI is poised for further advancements in science, engineering, and technological innovation in Nigeria.
