Nigeria to commence mass production of helicopters, hardware equipment for military

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has disclosed it would commence mass production of helicopters, anti-ballistic missiles and bullet proof vests and other locally fabricated equipment for the Nigerian military.

Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna stated this on Friday in Abuja, after he visited President Muhammadu Buhari to update him on the financial status of the agency.

He said NASENI would consolidate on production of the hardware from the one percent statutory allocation coming to the organisation from the federation account.

According to him, the inspiration to manufacture helicopters and other equipment locally was drawn from Belgium and Indonesia which he said, experts have been trained preparatory for mass production.

Haruna said, they have understudy those countries, revealing further that helicopters which were successfully produced are awaiting approval by the
Nigerian Aviation Authority and international approving body to fly.

Prof. Haruna noted that President Buhari has instructed NASENI to mass produce helicopters after the Ministry’s approval, stressing that Buhari has ordered the relocation of production site to the Nigerian Aviation School in Zaria, Kaduna State, which already has most of the facilities, like run-way and others, on the ground.

NASENI, he said, has capacity to produce bigger aircraft, but didn’t disclose, if the agency was propelled by the alarming insecurity in Nigeria to produce the combat equipment.

He revealed that NASENI was in partnership with INNOSON motors, a manufacturing firm for the mass production of tricycles

He further revealed that the Federal government of Nigeria will explore mass production of smart solar panels to boost power supplies in the country at a cost of N24 billion

He however lamented that paucity of funds wouldn’t have been an issue if the statutory 1 per cent funding is gotten from the federation allocations before sharing to the constituent states.