The Federal Government has commenced the construction of the Sustainable & Emerging Technologies Institute under the aegis of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure in a bid to secure the socio-economic well-being of future generations.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of Information, NASENI, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan.

The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, during the groundbreaking ceremony held at the Bayero University Kano New Campus, said the new institute sits on 30 hectares of the BUK land to be built, featuring state-of-the-art facilities, including innovation hubs devoted to artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies, complemented by reliable power supply.

Halilu said the establishment of SETI in Nigeria was to rapidly respond to the waves of young people globally revolutionising world economies with the unprecedented emergence of socio-economic frontiers as by-products of innovations and ingenuity of these young minds.

He said, “We in NASENI are firm believers in the potential of young Nigerians to be the prime catalysts of the type of transformation that Nigeria requires. And we will do everything within our powers to support them to fulfil this important responsibility.

“We are gathered here today to kickstart a project that will transform the lives and careers of future generations of young Nigerians. The Sustainable & Emerging Technologies Institute, located at Bayero University Kano by NASENI. This is very much in line with our operating principles, what we call our 3Cs: Collaboration, Creation, and Commercialisation. These 3Cs are the principles that passionately drive us and guide the work that we do to ensure the industrialisation of Nigeria in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“SETI will produce innovators, technologists, and entrepreneurs who will make their mark not just in Nigeria but around the world. “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 put not just BUK on the global innovation map, but also Kano State and the entire Nigeria.”

While carrying out the symbolic foundation-laying ceremony of the institute as Special Guest of Honour, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, described the project as not only laudable but also NASENI’s way of fast-tracking the placing of Nigeria on the global map of innovation and industrialisation.

In his goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor of BUK, Professor Sagir Abbas, described the new institute as a vehicle for bringing together the three critical tripods for economic and sustainable development for nations, that is, the government, academia, and industry.

He described the groundbreaking event as the beginning of Nigeria’s journey in pursuit of sustainable development and massive job creation opportunities for the youths and said that BUK was delighted to be host to such a laudable initiative and momentum.