The National Agency for Science and Technology Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Technology Agency of Czech Republic (TACR) have signed a $21 million bilateral implementation agreement for Delta-2 projects.

The Delta-2 programme is a bilateral Co-funding R&D Project under the agreement and the first major step toward achieving the goals of the bilateral cooperation and practical steps toward diversifying the nation’s economy.

The project was launched in 2001, while the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Czech Republic on technology transfer was signed in 2014 as a way of stimulating economic diversification in Nigeria through joint research and developments (R&Ds) projects in three focus areas like agriculture, mining and general manufacturing for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Speaking at the signing of the agreement, yesterday, in Abuja, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, stated that out of the $21.7 million set aside to finance the selected projects, TACR is contributing $11.7 million, while NASENI is contributing $10 million.

Halilu noted that the Delta-2 project is very important, because the first letter he got from the President was to give an update and a way forward on the programme.