NASENI Celebrates Halilu’s Recognition as a Young Global Leader by This Day Newspaper

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has celebrated its Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, for being honoured with the Young Global Leader Award by ThisDay Newspaper during its grand 30th-anniversary celebration held on January 27, 2025, in Lagos.

The EVC/CEO of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Khalil Suleiman Halilu receiving ThisDay Newspapers Young Global Leader award from the former Governor of Ogun State, Chief  Olusegun Osoba at the 2025 ThisDay Awards held in Lagos recently. 

The award recognizes Khalil Halilu’s transformative leadership, visionary contributions to Nigeria’s technology and manufacturing sectors, and his commitment to sustainable development through innovation.

Since assuming leadership at NASENI, Halilu has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives that have solidified the agency’s position as a critical driver of Nigeria’s industrial revolution. Halilu’s leadership has led to 35 market-ready products for use by Nigerians and closed deals on 44 projects with Agency’s partners, ready for launching or commissioning.

Speaking on the award, Halilu expressed gratitude to ThisDay Newspaper for the recognition, dedicating the accolade to the entire NASENI team. “This award is a testament to the collective efforts of the NASENI family in advancing innovation and ensuring Nigeria remains at the forefront of technology and engineering infrastructure. It inspires us to work even harder toward creating solutions that empower industries and communities,” he said.

The Young Global Leader Award reflects Halilu’s visionary leadership, under which NASENI has implemented numerous landmark projects, including the development of sustainable green technologies, the establishment of world-class manufacturing facilities, and strategic collaborations with local and international partners to boost Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

ThisDay Newspaper, celebrating three decades of excellence in journalism, selected Halilu alongside other exceptional leaders for their exemplary contributions to societal development and innovation. The award ceremony, held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos brought together luminaries from across Nigeria’s public and private sectors to celebrate excellence and leadership.

NASENI, under Khalil Halilu’s leadership, reaffirms its commitment to fostering innovation, industrialization, and sustainable growth in Nigeria. This recognition serves as a further motivation for the Agency to continue breaking new grounds in science, engineering, and technology for national development.

NIMC unveils new National ID card: What You Need to Know

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Federal Government, through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has reaffirmed its commitment to launching the upgraded National Identity Card, known as the General Multipurpose Card (GMPC), later this year.

In a statement, the agency described the new card as a single, convenient solution that eliminates the need for carrying multiple cards.

It wrote “The innovative card made in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS), is to be powered by AfriGO, a National domestic card scheme licensed by the CBN to provide cost-effective and transparent card payments.”

Currently, the 26 commercial and microfinance banks are issuing the AfriGo cards in the country.

According to NIMC, the innovation will address the demand for physical identification enabling cardholders to prove their identity, and access government and private social services.

On the voters’ card, the commission says several meetings with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are ongoing to see how a merger is visible for just one card.

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão, the SRSG for the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), Mr. Abdou Abarry, and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed M. Fall, visited Bama a day before the kick-off of the fifth Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum for Regional Cooperation on Stabilization, Peacebuilding, and Sustainable Development in Maiduguri.

The high-level officials highlighted the steady progress made in Bama. This includes joint Government, UN and partners efforts to provide internally displaced persons (IDPs) with humanitarian assistance and livelihood support and initiatives enhancing social cohesion and reintegration through social and economic activities. They also noted the challenges that remain including violence, the threat posed by the climate crisis, and inadequate basic services.

The officials visited a centre equipping young girls and boys with livelihood skills run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and a UNICEF-run social cohesion project at the Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS) camp. In addition, they visited a nutrition centre supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) where malnourished children are receiving treatment. The officials also spoke with women and adolescent girls at a UNHCR/GISCOR Safe Space and met with representatives of humanitarian agencies in Bama. They also paid a courtesy call on the Shehu of Bama Dr. Umar Kyari Umar El-kanemi.

“I returned to Bama today, eight years since my last visit – which was a few months after it was liberated from the insurgency. A lot has changed since then, with marked improvement in the lives of people affected by the crisis. While there is still work to be done to address insecurity and its impact on civilians, I thank the Borno State authorities, donors, UN agencies and partners for their commitment and dedication through this journey that has made Bama what it is today. I also call for sustained support to address the remaining challenges,” said the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall.

Bama town remains vulnerable to attacks by non-state armed groups due to its proximity to the Sambisa Forest. This has made it difficult for communities to carry out livelihood activities, including farming, fishing and firewood collection. This has increased their dependence on humanitarian assistance.

Bama illustrates the situation of many communities across the Lake Chad Basin impacted by 16 years of conflict in the region.