On Friday, 14th February 2025, marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s drive toward securing the socio-economic future of its youth, as the Federal Government, through the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), officially broke ground on the Sustainable & Emerging Technologies Institute (SETI) at the Bayero University Kano (BUK) New Campus.
During the ceremony, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, revealed that the institute would be built on 30 hectares of BUK land and feature state-of-the-art facilities.
“NASENI will fully build, equip, and support the new Institute,” Halilu stated, emphasizing that innovation hubs dedicated to Artificial Intelligence and other advanced technologies, along with reliable power supply, would play a central role in driving Nigeria’s industrialization efforts.
Halilu further underscored the critical role that emerging technologies play in shaping the future socio-economic landscape, highlighting the importance of human creativity, innovation, and cooperation in driving national development. “The future of socio-economic development for nations rests on human creativity, innovation, and cooperation, including fields such as Artificial Intelligence and robotics,” he said.
Addressing the transformative potential of SETI, Halilu noted that the institute is being established to rapidly respond to the global surge of young innovators who are revolutionizing world economies. “We in NASENI are firm believers in the potential of young Nigerians to be the prime catalysts of the transformation that Nigeria requires. We will do everything within our powers to support them in fulfilling this important responsibility,” he added.
Halilu stressed that the SETI project embodies NASENI’s core operating principles—Collaboration, Creation, and Commercialization. “We are gathered here today to kickstart a project that will transform the lives and careers of future generations of young Nigerians,” he said. “The Sustainable & Emerging Technologies Institute (SETI) at Bayero University Kano is a testament to our commitment to drive the industrialization of Nigeria in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Highlighting the institute’s long-term vision, Halilu expressed his eagerness for the day when SETI’s first beneficiaries would demonstrate their capabilities on a global stage. “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 not only put BUK on the global innovation map, but also Kano State and the entire Nigeria,” he said.
Special Guest of Honour, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, commended the project as a bold step toward positioning Nigeria as a global leader in innovation and industrialization. Describing SETI as an “ace project,” the minister reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering sustainable socio-economic development through strategic investments in technology and education.
The groundbreaking ceremony also featured a goodwill address from the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas. In his remarks, Professor Abbas lauded the institute as a vehicle for forging a stronger link between government, academia, and industry—an essential tripartite alliance for driving sustainable development and creating vast employment opportunities for the nation’s youth. He described the event as the beginning of Nigeria’s journey toward a future marked by sustainable development and massive job creation.
In addition to SETI, NASENI is also initiating the construction of an Agri-preneurship Training Hub on 10 hectares of land at BUK’s Old Campus. This hub will be equipped with modern greenhouses and facilities for soil-less farming and tissue culture, underscoring NASENI’s broader mission of building capacity, advancing industrialization, and supporting economic growth and prosperity.
NASENI extended its gratitude to the Government and people of Kano State, the management and students of Bayero University Kano, and the members of the National Assembly, particularly the NASENI oversight committees in both chambers, for their unwavering support. Special thanks were also directed toward Minister Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their steadfast commitment to the agency’s success.
With SETI and the Agri-preneurship Training Hub, NASENI is setting a robust foundation for Nigeria’s future in emerging technologies and sustainable development. These projects are poised to transform not only the educational landscape of Kano State but also to serve as a blueprint for innovation and industrial growth across the nation.
As Nigeria moves forward in an increasingly technology-driven world, initiatives like these underscore the government’s determination to nurture local talent and drive the country’s socio-economic progress on the global stage.
