INTRODUCTION AND PREAMBLE

In most societies, despite the ideology of free enterprise and in the face of competing needs, Governments, nevertheless, play a catalytic role in the nurturing and provision of consistent support for the Science and Technology sector aimed at manufacturing, and in Research & Development. This latter is in order to gain National advantage and because of the attendant multiplier effect of such expenditure in the National economy. Science and Technology funding is a NECESSARY & OBLIGATORY expenditure in any society desirous of rapid economic growth.

For instance, information already exists for the development or acquisition to build infrastructures, alleviate poverty and grow the economy. What is required is the framework for domesticating these and bringing them to usable intellectual products. The target of NASENI and its centres is to domesticate or innovate existing technologies. This is the standard having been utilized by bodies similar to NASENI in East Asia to further advance the quality of products, create new products or find better ways of innovating existing processes or technologies. It is only in this way that the indigenous human and material capacity for rapid industrialization can take place. For Nigeria to uplift from its industrially prostrate position, it needs to commit resources for NASENI to grow and actualize its revised mandate.

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) was established in 1992. The establishment of the Agency by Decree No. 33 of that year followed the adoption by Government of the recommendations of the White Paper Committee on the 1991 Report of a 150–member National Committee on Engineering Infrastructure comprising Scientists, Engineers, Administrators, Federal and State Civil Servants, Economists, Lawyers, Bankers and Industrialists. NASENI, by its mandate and scope of operation is the Nigeria’s only purpose built Agency designed to conduct developmental work in the areas of manufacturing and as such, it is capable of coordinating the proliferation of technologies developed either within or outside of its Centres including patents obtained. Technologies so developed in the areas of spares, components and systems engineering are to be transferred to Entrepreneurs for the production of goods and services. Nigeria can have the benefit of a rapid technological development by strengthening NASENI.

MANDATE

The Mandate of NASENI is specifically in the area of capital goods research, production, and reverse engineering with respect to the following six broad areas:

• Engineering materials (notably irons, steels, non-ferrous metal and alloys, plastics, glass, ceramics, polymer electronics and nanotechnology); Industrial and analytic chemical materials including industrial gases;
• Scientific equipment and components for education, research and industry; including measuring instruments, electronic components, communication equipment and computers;
• Engineering accessories (mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and electronic);
• Power equipment (generation, transmission, distribution, prime movers); and
• Mechanical Engineering tools(power tools, hand tools, cutting tools and machine tools).