Nigeria First in Action: NASENI, REA sign MoU on renewable energy deployment

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to promote locally manufactured renewable energy technologies under the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First Policy.’

The agreement signing was facilitated by the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Abraham Adedokun at the BPP headquarters in Abuja on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the Agency is focused on linking research, production, and commercialisation to ensure that innovations are translated into market-ready products.

He said: “NASENI would scale up renewable energy production, including solar panels and streetlights, through initiatives such as DefFrontier, to strengthen local manufacturing and reduce import dependence, adding that the Agency will meet the renewable energy requirements of REA.”

Instead of continuous importation of technologies, machines and equipment for producing renewable energy solutions, NASENI by this MoU will be committed to local manufacturing and domestication of the technologies, equipment and other ways and means of proliferation of renewable resources in the country and to increase the nation’s off-grid energy solutions. 

The Managing Director/CEO of REA, Dr. Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the relationship with NASENI as a strategic partnership aimed at building Nigeria’s renewable energy ecosystem through local production and deployment.

He stated that “while NASENI provides the manufacturing and technological capacity for renewable equipment, REA will focus on deploying solutions to expand electricity across rural areas.”

Meanwhile, the Director-General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale Abraham Adedokun, said the Nigeria First Policy, exemplified by this agreement, is aimed at strengthening local content, ensuring value for money, and promoting accountability in public procurement.