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Khalil Halilu, the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has emphasized the critical importance of the Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASC) to Nigeria’s industrial development.
He argued that abandoning the multi-billion-dollar project would be detrimental, as no nation can achieve meaningful industrialization without a robust steel foundation.
Speaking during a media engagement in Abuja on Wednesday, Khalil Halilu highlighted his achievements under the banner of “One Year of Fast-Tracking the Renewed Hope Vision for Nigerian Industrialization,” a roadmap aimed at bolstering the nation’s industrial framework.
According to him, “We cannot industrialise, as a nation, without a steel backbone. That is why the Ajaokuta Steel Company is critical to our economy.”
Mr. Khalil Halilu announced that his team had finalized a blueprint focused on the restoration of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, a project he described as critical to Nigeria’s journey toward industrialization.Halilu elaborated that the roadmap was developed following an accelerated assessment of the abandoned Ajaokuta Steel Company. This evaluation, undertaken jointly with UNIDO, sought to provide clarity on the plant’s present condition. A report containing these insights, along with strategic recommendations for its operational revival, has been submitted to the president.
Mr Halilu said, “As the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of NASENI, I stand at the crossroads of helping to implement President Tinubu’s bold but achievable vision of a rapid and sustainable industrial revolution. For too long, Nigeria’s economy has limped along, stunted by a series of misaligned policies and short-term fixes that only masked deeper issues.
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“As President Tinubu stated in his speech to protesters in August 2024, just over a year ago, shortly before I assumed office, his administration reached a pivotal moment — a realization that bandied solutions were no longer enough. It was time for a seismic shift, a bold re-imagining of Nigeria’s approach to our longstanding challenges.
“Today, Nigeria stands on the brink of its own industrial renaissance, with NASENI at the forefront of several of the key initiatives. Over the past year, we have moved beyond envisioning a future of industrial growth to actively building it.
“Our portfolio now includes 35 market-ready innovations—from affordable solar lamps that can power our streets to cutting-edge agricultural technologies that can help make putting food on the table of Nigerian families easier. These are not simply products; they are answers to the urgent challenges of energy access and food security.”
The EVC stated that his administration had overhauled NASENI’s focus using the “3Cs” model—Creation, Collaboration, and Commercialization. This transformation, coupled with investments now valued at $3.25 billion, has paved the way for the Accelerated Technology Transfer Framework and a reinvigorated approach to national industrialization.
Halilu also pointed out that one of the agency’s major accomplishments was the creation of a tractor assembly facility, strategically designed to enhance mechanized agriculture across Nigeria. This development, he emphasized, is central to overcoming the current food supply shortages while promoting long-term food security and agricultural efficiency.
