FG begins construction of sustainable technologies institute in Kano

The Federal Government of Nigeria has started the construction of the Sustainable and Emerging Technologies Institute (SETI) under the aegis of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, during the ceremony held at the Bayero University Kano (BUK) New Campus, said the new institute will sit on 30 hectares of the BUK land, featuring state-of-the-art facilities, including innovation hubs devoted to artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies, complemented by reliable power supply.

“NASENI will fully build and equip and support the new Institute,” said the EVC/CEO.Halilu said that the establishment of SETI in Nigeria is to rapidly respond to the waves of young people globally revolutionising world economies with unprecedented emergence of socio-economic frontiers as by-products of innovations and ingenuities of these young minds.

“We in NASENI are firm believers in the potential of young Nigerians to be the prime catalysts of the type of transformation that Nigeria requires. And we will do everything within our power to support them in fulfilling this important responsibility.

“We are gathered here today to kickstart a project that will transform the lives and careers of future generations of young Nigerians. The Sustainable & Emerging Technologies Institute (SETI), located at the Bayero University Kano (BUK) by NASENI. This is very much in line with our operating principles; what we call our 3Cs: Collaboration, Creation, and Commercialization. These 3Cs are the principles that passionately drive us and guide the work that we do to ensure the industrialization of Nigeria in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he stated.

SETI will produce innovators, technologists, and entrepreneurs who will make their mark not just in Nigeria but around the world. “I’m eagerly looking forward to the day, not too long from now, when the Institute’s first set of beneficiaries will astonish the world with what they’re capable of accomplishing. These stories will put not just BUK on the global innovation map, but also Kano State and the entire Nigeria” said Halilu.

While carrying out the symbolic foundation laying ceremony of the institute as Special Guest of Honour, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, described the project as not only laudable but NASENI’s another way of fast-tracking the placing of Nigeria on the global map of innovation and industrialization. The minister called the project an “ace project” and a pointer to secure a veritable socio-economic development for the nation.

In his goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor of BUK, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas described the new institute as a vehicle for bringing together the three critical tripods for economic and sustainable development for nations, that is, the government, academia and industry. He described the ground-breaking event as the beginning of Nigeria’s journey in pursuit of sustainable development, job creation opportunities for the youths, and that the BUK was delighted to be host to such laudable initiative and momentum.