President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, relieved Dr. Bashir Gwandu of his duties as the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure. Taking his place is the relatively young Khalil Suleiman Halilu, who, at just 32 years old, assumes this crucial role.
Gwandu’s appointment was one of the last-minute decisions approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari before he handed over on May 29, 2023.
The Federal Government established the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure in 1992. As the only organisation in Nigeria created specifically to carry out manufacturing development work, NASENI is to coordinate the spread of technologies developed either inside or outside of its Centres, including acquired patents.
This report highlights seven things to know about the new CEO of NASENI.
- Born in Kano State, Nigeria on October 29, 1990, Khalil Suleiman Halilu is the oldest of five children.
- He started his secondary school career at St. Thomas Catholic School in 2001–2003 after attending Rainbow Primary School in Kano from 1996–2006. He finished his studies at Prime College in Kano.
- Halilu attended the University of Hertfordshire immediately after graduating from secondary school. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2009 and a Master of Science in International Business in 2010.
- He began his working career as an administrative assistant at Archimode & Associates soon after graduation. His career path took a surprising turn when he took over as Marketing Manager at Gongoni Company Limited, the family business where is father, Alhaji Abdullahi Halilu, was one of the directors. As a subsidiary of Scirrocco International Limited, which focuses on producing tea and cold beverages, Gongoni is able to take advantage of efficiencies gained through vertical integration.
- Halilu has always been interested in finding innovative methods to help businesses succeed via the use of technology and information systems.
- He established a non-profit organisation, Centre for Civic, Welfare, and Community Development (otherwise known as CWCD Africa) in 2018 with the goal of addressing pressing societal issues such as health care, education, the environment, and global warming. Other areas of interest also include welfare for refugees, migrants, and the internally displaced persons, as well as sustainability and inclusive development.
- Halilu oversaw the release of another CWCD product, the Zabe mobile app, which played a pivotal role in the 2019 general elections. The Zabe App is an attempt to decentralise electoral transparency and expand democratic participation. Zabe.ng was developed as an election monitoring software that can keep voters up to date with real-time information to further verify that the procedures in the election were fair and reliable.
- He has a wide range of interests, with golf and polo being two of his favourites. He is a member of the Abuja Polo Club, Nigerian Polo Association, Lagos Polo Club, and Kano Golf Club.
