NASENI, Kaduna give 500 residents solar kits, cookstoves

Photos show beneficiaries, 450 women and 50 men from the state's 23 local government areas, receiving items under the NASENI Sustainable Empowerment Programme, themed “Innovating Today, Empowering Tomorrow”, in Kaduna on Monday. Credit: Godwin Isenyo

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure and the Kaduna State Government have empowered 500 residents with solar home systems, clean cooking stoves and support packs to improve livelihoods and ease household economic pressures.

The beneficiaries, comprising 450 women and 50 men from the 23 local government areas of the state, received the items under the NASENI Sustainable Empowerment Programme, themed “Innovating Today, Empowering Tomorrow”.

Speaking at the unveiling of the programme on Monday, Governor Uba Sani said the initiative demonstrated his administration’s commitment to expanding economic opportunities and improving living standards through science and technology.

He said, “These interventions are designed to ease household burdens, support small businesses and improve productivity through the practical application of science and technology.”

The governor commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting initiatives aimed at translating the Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible benefits for Nigerians.

He said partnerships between federal agencies and state governments were essential to accelerating development at the grassroots, while praising NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, for promoting innovation and strategic partnerships.

Sani said the programme’s focus on women, young people and underserved communities aligned with his administration’s efforts to expand access to vocational skills, enterprise support and economic opportunities.

He added that distributing the items across the 23 local government areas would promote balanced development and ensure that more communities benefited from government interventions.

The governor urged the beneficiaries to make effective use of the items, stressing that their proper utilisation would determine the programme’s impact on household welfare.

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He also directed the coordinating team to ensure transparency in the distribution process and maintain accurate records of beneficiaries.

Earlier, Halilu said the programme was designed to bring the benefits of science and engineering directly to grassroots communities while promoting the adoption of locally produced technologies.

He explained that the solar home systems would provide household lighting and enable children to study after dark, while the clean cooking stoves would help reduce fuel consumption and exposure to smoke when used correctly.

“The objective is to make science and engineering work for ordinary Nigerians by providing practical solutions to everyday challenges,” Halilu said.

He said the support packs would provide additional assistance to households facing economic difficulties, helping them meet some immediate needs.

According to him, the adoption of the technologies could also stimulate enterprise development, create technical jobs and expand opportunities in local production, distribution, installation and maintenance.

Halilu said the initiative reflected NASENI’s approach of creation, collaboration and commercialisation, which seeks to develop practical solutions, strengthen partnerships and make technology more accessible to Nigerians.

He thanked the Kaduna State Government, traditional institutions, community leaders and implementation partners for supporting the programme, urging beneficiaries to use the items safely and maintain them properly.

The NASENI chief added that feedback from recipients would help the agency improve future interventions and ensure that technological advancement translates into better living conditions for Nigerians.