They strengthen backward integration by developing local suppliers for components and machinery; build forward linkages through processing and branding to capture more of the final product value, and invest heavily in skills, standards, and innovation ecosystem that enable firms to move up the value chain. The strategy helps keep more value jobs and profits domestically while competing on technology and quality rather than just cost.

Nigeria for some decades has struggled to improve on its industrial outputs, but growth has been hampered by a single bottleneck: the gap between research and commercial production. Ideas are generated in labs and universities, but few make it to factories, markets, and the hands of Nigerian consumers.

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) is closing that gap by building a complete value chain, from concept to prototype, from pilot production to market-ready products that industries can adopt today.

From Lab Bench to Factory Floor

NASENI’s mandate goes beyond research. The Agency operates a network of Development Institutes and advanced manufacturing centres designed to translate research into tangible products. At the heart of this system is reverse engineering and technology adaptation as well as commercialisation.

Instead of waiting for imported equipment, NASENI’s engineers dissect foreign technologies, redesign them for Nigerian operating conditions, and prepare them for local manufacturing.

This approach has already produced working models in renewable energy, agriculture, transportation, and capital goods.

The goal is simple: reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports, cut foreign exchange drain, and create products that are cheaper to buy, easier to maintain and built for local use and create jobs for Nigerians.

The R&D to Market Pipeline

NASENI’s process follows a deliberate 5-stage pipeline that private sector partners can plug into at any point. They are as follow:

1. Research & Adaptation

NASENI identifies high-demand capital goods products that Nigeria imports heavily. Engineers adapt designs using locally available materials and skills. These capital goods products cut across the key sectors of the economy.

They include Multi-grain Thresher, Rice Milling and Destoning Machines, Solar-powered Irrigation Pump, Oil Extraction System/Oil Expeller, Solar Water Dispensers, Home Solar Energy units, Energy Street Lights, Lithium Batteries, Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, Electric Tricycles, NASENI Laptops, Tablets, and many more.

2. Prototype Development & Testing

Prototypes are built and tested in NASENI’s laboratories for durability, efficiency, and compliance with Nigerian standards. Testing reduces risk for partners who want to licence the technology.

3. Pilot Production

Small-batch production validates cost, quality, and scalability. This is where NASENI de-risks the investment for industry. Stakeholders can inspect pilot lines, assess quality, and negotiate licencing before committing to large-scale production.

4. Technology Transfer & Licencing

NASENI offers licencing agreements, joint ventures, and technical support to qualified partners. This means industries can start manufacturing NASENI-developed products without building R&D departments from scratch.

5. Market Deployment & After-sales Support

Through partnerships with distributors, cooperatives, and state governments, NASENI products reach end-users. The Agency also provides training for maintenance and troubleshooting, protecting the partner’s brand reputation.

Where Industry Gains

The value for stakeholders is in speed, cost, and reduced risk.

Speed to Market: A partner licencing a NASENI design bypasses 2–4 years of independent R&D. Production can begin once licencing and training are completed.

Cost Savings: Products adapted for local materials and labour cut import costs by 30%–60% in sectors like solar components, agricultural machinery, and electrical equipment.

Data point to source: Comparative cost analysis of NASENI solar panels and imported equivalents are available at the NASENI Energy Directorate.

Risk Reduction: NASENI absorbs early-stage R&D risk. Partners enter at the pilot or licencing stage with proven prototypes and technical documentation.

Local Content Compliance: Products developed under NASENI meet Nigerian local content requirements, making them eligible for government procurement and preferential treatment in public projects.

Real Products, Real Impact

Several NASENI technologies have passed through the licencing stage. Examples include Solar Irrigation Pumps designed for smallholder farmers, Electric Tricycles for urban transport, and Transformer components for the power sector.

Each product comes with a technical package: design files, bill of materials, supplier list, and training manual. For industries, this means immediate opportunities.

An agricultural equipment dealer can licence a NASENI Thresher and begin assembly in-house. A renewable energy firm can integrate NASENI’s solar components into its existing projects at lower cost.

A manufacturing small and medium enterprise (SME) can use NASENI’s CNC and machining centres to produce parts without buying expensive equipment. There are a number of active licencing agreements, SMEs trainings, and jobs created through NASENI technology transfer programmes from 2023–2026.

The Infrastructure Advantage

Nigeria, NASENI operates advanced manufacturing centres equipped with CNC machines, 3D printers, metrology labs, and testing rigs.

Partners can use these facilities on a fee-for-service basis, avoiding millions in capital expenditure.

This shared infrastructure model is critical for SMEs and mid-sized firms that want to move up the value chain but lack the capital for heavy equipment. It also ensures quality control, as all licenced products are tested against NASENI’s standards before market release.

Partnership Model: How It Works

NASENI’s engagement with industry is structured for clarity and mutual benefit. NASENI assesses technical fit and readiness. The following are how it works.

Agreement & Training: Licencing terms are agreed, and partner staff receives hands-on training.

Production & Rollout: Partner begins production with ongoing technical support from NASENI.

Market Feedback Loop: NASENI collects user feedback to improve future iterations. The model is designed to be flexible. Partnerships range from single-product licencing to joint ventures for large-scale manufacturing plants.

Call to Action:

Nigeria’s industrial transformation will not come from imports alone. It will come from Nigerian companies producing Nigerian solutions, using Nigerian talents and infrastructure.

NASENI invites manufacturers, investors, distributors, and state governments to partner in building this value chain. If you operate in agriculture, energy, transportation, or manufacturing, there is a NASENI technology ready for adoption.

For existing or new partner of the Agency, the following steps are available: Review NASENI’s current technology catalogue on the Agency’s website and at zonal offices; Request a technical briefing and factory tour to assess production readiness; Engage NASENI’s Investment and Partnership Directorate to discuss licencing, joint venture (JV) and co-production terms; and Join upcoming NASENI Industry Stakeholder Forums for direct access to engineers and project managers.

NASENI is currently playing a critical role through its indigenous technologies in building Nigeria’s industrial value chain.  The infrastructure is in place.

The designs are tested. The market is waiting. The next step is for industry to step in, scale production, and make “Made-in-Nigeria” the standard.

The initiative, which aims to deploy 1,000 electric tricycles by the end of 2025, is focused on reducing fuel costs for drivers, cutting emissions, and providing cheaper transport for urban riders.

At the heart of the new model is a lease-to-own structure, with no upfront payment required. Drivers can now get brand-new electric tricycles, operate them on Bolt, and fully own the vehicle after two years of consistent use. 

Asides being more affordable to run, thanks to zero petrol, these tricycles are also designed specifically for Nigerian road conditions, with enhanced suspension and dual battery compartments. One of the two batteries acts as a backup, ensuring drivers keep earning without waiting hours for recharging.

“By giving them tools to reduce fuel spending, avoid upfront vehicle costs, and eventually own their tricycles, we’re putting more control and earning potential directly into their hands. Nigeria, with its vast and dynamic population, is key to our strategy of making mobility economically viable and accessible for everyone,” said Caroline Wanjihia, Bolt’s regional director of Rides Operations for Africa and International Markets.

This is beyond just another tech launch, it’s a targeted solution to two of Nigeria’s most urgent transportation problems—driver poverty and inadequate mobility access in low-income neighbourhoods. 

Osi Oguah, general manager of Bolt Nigeria, stressed that, “This launch is a major step in addressing two critical challenges in Nigeria’s transport sector – driver income and commuter access. By introducing electric tricycles with flexible, lease-to-own options, we’re helping drivers save money, own their vehicles, and build sustainable livelihoods. At the same time, we’re offering commuters, especially in underserved areas, a more affordable and accessible way to move around their city. We have an ambitious target of having 1,000 electric tricycles by the end of 2025.”

From SGX’s side, the plan goes even further. It includes a network of battery-swapping hubs to eliminate wait times. Drivers can ride to the nearest station, swap a dead battery for a charged one, and be back on the road in minutes. No loss of income. No long waits. Just business as usual—but greener.

The cost of petrol in Nigeria has risen over 200% since May 2023. Add that to constant vehicle maintenance, and most local drivers barely break even. The electric tricycles change that equation. Lower operating costs mean more savings, and ultimately, more power in the hands of the drivers. We’re not talking about theories here. This model is already running.

SGX also used the opportunity to spotlight the environmental stakes. Transportation contributes 28% of Nigeria’s total greenhouse gas emissions, second only to industrial manufacturing. And of that, tricycles and motorcycles are among the dirtiest polluters. Replacing petrol-powered units with electric ones won’t just reduce costs; it could help slow climate change, too.

Unlike imported solutions that fail to consider local challenges, these tricycles were designed specifically with inclusivity in mind. It’s a solution for tough road suspensions and battery compartments built for urban travel patterns, a system developed with a deep understanding of what works—and what doesn’t—on Nigerian roads.

Essentially, Bolt and SGX have made it clear that this won’t disrupt existing transport unions; the electric tricycles are positioned as a complementary service, not a competitor.

Drivers still operate like traditional tricycle operators, but they pick up rides through Bolt’s app. This keeps the system familiar while adding a digital layer of structure and income stability.

The project also opens up investor opportunities. SGX’s mobility-as-a-service model is built to attract funding, and with financial partners like banks, microfinance companies, and regulators on board, the structure is already backed by strong institutional support.

The vision is to build an inclusive mobility system, reduce emissions, and make owning a vehicle—and a business—possible for thousands of young Nigerians. 

Rooted in local needs but aimed at global outcomes.