Nigeria is on the verge of making history with its first-ever locally manufactured helicopter, thanks to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). The engineering work on the Made-in-Nigeria helicopter is nearing completion, with the Project Manager, Engr. Kareem Aduagba, revealing that the project is in its final stages. Aduagba disclosed this during a Focus Group Engagement in Kaduna, where inventors, manufacturers, government officials, industry leaders, and innovators gathered to discuss policies driving Nigeria’s industrial and technological growth.
The Made-in-Nigeria helicopter project is part of NASENI’s efforts to promote local manufacturing, innovation, and the adoption of indigenous products. The agency is also working on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), leveraging science and engineering expertise to assemble and integrate components sourced from developed countries. Engr. Abdulfatai Ambali, Head of the Manufacturing Services Department at the Hydraulic Equipment Development Institute, Kano, emphasized NASENI’s role in national development, highlighting the agency’s focus on commercialization, collaboration, and creation under its current leadership.According to Aduagba, “What we are doing now is not to reinvent the wheel. We had one of our projects being started from the first principle which we are working on, both the Made in Nigeria helicopter and some Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).
“We have some which we bought over from developed countries, which we had them in Semi Knock Down (SKD) and some Complete Knock Down (CKD). So, we are now making use of science and engineering knowledge to work on the SKD and the CKD.
“Very soon, we are going to do the first test. Everything is nearing completion now and very soon, we will fly the first made-in-Nigeria helicopter,” he said. With the maiden test flight of the Made-in-Nigeria helicopter imminent, Nigeria is poised to take a significant leap in its industrial and technological journey. This achievement is a testament to the country’s potential for innovation and self-sufficiency.
According to him, “many Nigerians are not aware of NASENI and its activities. However, with the current leadership under the Executive Vice Chairman, Khalil Suleman Halilu, the Agency is prioritising awareness, stakeholder engagement, and community impact,” he said.
