The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has commenced the distribution of solar home systems and clean cookstoves to 2,000 beneficiaries in Kano State under its sustainable empowerment programme.
Flagging off the initiative, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, said the intervention was designed to provide practical, locally developed solutions to Nigeria’s persistent energy and environmental challenges.
Halilu explained that the agency focuses on transforming ideas into usable products, particularly in solar power, clean cooking technologies, agricultural machinery, and other solutions for homes and businesses.
He noted that many households still rely on firewood for cooking and lack access to reliable electricity, a situation the programme seeks to address.
According to him, the distributed clean cookstoves would reduce smoke and fuel consumption, while the solar home systems would provide stable electricity to support domestic use and small-scale enterprises.
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He added that the initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader Zero Carbon (ZeCo) Project aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting environmental sustainability, and improving public health, especially among women and children vulnerable to indoor air pollution.
“The goal is to improve access to clean and reliable energy, reduce dependence on firewood, support economic activities, and create awareness about renewable energy adoption,” Halilu said, stressing that the programme would be extended nationwide.
In her keynote address, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, described the programme as a practical demonstration of the federal government’s commitment to translating policy into tangible benefits for citizens.
She said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of industrialisation, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.
Oduwole noted that the programme also reflects the Nigeria First Policy, which prioritises local production, indigenous innovation, and domestic enterprise, adding that empowering households and small businesses— which account for a significant share of Nigeria’s GDP— remains critical to national development.
She identified energy access as a major constraint to productivity, stating that clean and decentralised energy solutions are essential economic infrastructure for improving livelihoods and supporting enterprise growth.
Representing the Kano State Head of Civil Service, Hajiya Bilkisu Maimota, the Permanent Secretary, Salisu Mustapha, commended NASENI for bringing indigenous technological solutions closer to communities.
He said the state government remains committed to promoting science, technology, and innovation, noting that such interventions would contribute to reducing carbon emissions and advancing environmental sustainability in the state.
