Over 300 residents of Ondo State have benefited from the Federal Government’s distribution of locally manufactured solar home systems and clean cooking stoves under its National Sustainable Empowerment Programme (NSEP).
The beneficiaries, drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, received the items at an empowerment programme organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) at the Dr Olusegun Mimiko Event Centre, Akure.
The intervention is aimed at improving access to clean energy, reducing household health risks, promoting indigenous technology and supporting small-scale businesses.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the programme was part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to economic self-reliance, local production and youth-centred development.
Olawande said the initiative was designed not only to provide immediate relief to vulnerable households but also to stimulate local industries, create employment opportunities and encourage Nigerians to embrace homegrown technological solutions.
He stressed that the selection of beneficiaries was not based on political affiliation, adding that the government was determined to ensure that its interventions reached ordinary Nigerians in need of support.
According to him, beneficiaries would also receive stipends to support the establishment and expansion of micro-businesses, making the intervention more sustainable.
He said: “Over 300 beneficiaries in Ondo State are receiving these items, irrespective of political affiliation.
“This is not a political strategy but a demonstration of President Tinubu’s commitment to fulfilling his promises and making government interventions beneficial to ordinary Nigerians.”
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The minister explained that the clean cooking stoves would reduce health risks associated with prolonged exposure to smoke from firewood, particularly among women and children, while the solar systems would provide electricity for students and small-scale business operators.
He said the programme had been extended to several states, including Kano, Katsina, Lagos and Oyo, adding that Ondo was selected as part of efforts to expand its nationwide coverage.
Olawande also announced that the Nigeria Youth Academy (NYA) would be launched on November 9, with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, offering grants ranging from N5 million to N20 million to support promising young entrepreneurs.
He urged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the items, describing the intervention as an opportunity to improve their livelihoods.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, said the agency was focused on converting research and development into practical products that address the needs of Nigerians.
Halilu said the locally manufactured solar systems and clean cooking stoves were part of efforts to promote indigenous technology, generate employment and provide solutions to challenges confronting communities.
He said: “Our clean cooking stoves make cooking healthier and more efficient, while the home solar systems help small businesses have electricity throughout the day and ensure that children can do their assignments even when there is no public power supply.”
He explained that the initiative was also intended to strengthen local manufacturing and create employment opportunities through the production of Nigerian-made equipment.
“In a nutshell, it is about translating research and development into actual products that will impact people’s lives and, most importantly, make the intervention sustainable,” he said.
The NASENI chief executive expressed satisfaction with the agency’s collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, describing the partnership as an important step towards sustainable development.
He assured that more empowerment initiatives would be introduced to improve living conditions, promote local manufacturing and create opportunities for economic advancement.
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