The executive vice chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Dr. Bashir Gwandu recently visited the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Nigeria, His Excellency Zdeněk Krejčí.
The purpose of the visit was to explore opportunities for business collaboration and gather insights on the Delta2 project.
During the courtesy call made to the Czech ambassador’s office in Abuja on Friday, August 18, 2023, Gwandu conveyed that his primary aim was to conduct a fact-finding mission to understand why the Delta2 Project, which held the potential to benefit Nigeria’s technology companies, entrepreneurs and overall economic growth, did not materialise as expected.
The Delta 2 project was initially envisioned as a bilateral venture between the governments of Nigeria (represented by NASENI) and the Czech Republic (represented by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, TA CR). Its objective was to initiate projects that would facilitate the advancement of infrastructure, manufacturing, and innovation in Nigeria, thereby paving the way for the creation of locally developed technologies and products.
Gwandu expressed to the ambassador that the new leadership at NASENI is fully committed to collaborating with the Czech government to advance Nigeria’s industrialization agenda and attract fresh investments that would contribute to technology localization through strategic partnerships.
He underscored NASENI’s mandate, which is centered on ensuring that Nigeria produces a significant portion of the goods and services that are currently imported. This approach aims to bolster the nation’s economy and generate employment opportunities for millions of Nigerians.
“In our pursuit of new initiatives, we seek a government-to-government relationship that would benefit our country. We are actively engaging with numerous companies, reaching out for collaborations. We envision a partnership with the Czech government and companies that would facilitate technology domestication and industrialization in Nigeria,” Gwandu affirmed. He went on to elaborate that NASENI is embarking on novel initiatives designed to expedite Nigeria’s industrialisation process and is open to partnering with companies from the Czech Republic and other nations willing to establish factories and industrial bases within Nigeria.
In response, the Czech Ambassador lauded Gwandu and his team for their proactive efforts in visiting the embassy to inquire about the setbacks that led to the non-realisation of the Delta2 project. He assured NASENI of his country’s willingness to collaborate on scientific endeavours.
“We eagerly await your new initiatives. Our country boasts a grant agency and a technology agency devoted to scientific collaborations, in addition to an academy of sciences that could prove beneficial for your endeavours. We have identified two to three companies keen on collaborating with you, alongside three universities focused on tropical agriculture. These institutions deserve your partnership,” he expressed. The ambassador reiterated their eagerness to collaborate with NASENI to ensure the success of these new initiatives.
