The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has denied allegations of financial impropriety over a N10.6 billion mobilisation payment to a contractor, CGC Nigeria Limited. The agency stated that the payment, which represents 30 per cent of the contract value, was made in line with the Public Procurement Act as amended by the Finance Act 2020. This amendment increased the maximum allowable mobilisation fee for public contracts from 15 per cent to 30 per cent.
According to NASENI, the payment was made after the company met all technical and financial requirements, and provided a Bank Guarantee from a reputable commercial bank in Nigeria. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the award of the NASENI Campus contract to CGC Nigeria Limited in November 2025. The agency stated that the mobilisation fee was paid to enable the company to move to the project site.
The NASENI Campus project is a flagship Science, Technology and Innovation Complex designed to strengthen Nigeria's innovation ecosystem. The complex will be situated at Abuja Technology Village, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT. The project aims to address a critical challenge in Nigeria: helping promising ideas move beyond research and prototypes into market-ready products, businesses, and industries.
NASENI's Director of Information, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, released a statement denying the allegations. The statement said that two online media outlets, Sahara Reporters and Secret Reporters, published false and malicious reports. The reports alleged that NASENI paid the mobilisation fee to "mop up funds" and quoted an old "mobilisation mark" of 15 per cent.
The Finance Act 2020 amended the Public Procurement Act 2007, increasing the maximum allowable mobilisation fee to 30 per cent. Section 35 "a", subsection "1" of the Act states that a mobilisation fee of not more than 30 per cent may be paid to a supplier or contractor, supported by an unconditional bank guarantee or insurance bond.
The construction project is making steady progress. When completed, the campus will provide research laboratories, advanced prototyping and fabrication facilities, co-working spaces, and collaborative learning facilities. These facilities will enable innovators, researchers, engineers, and industry to work together.
NASENI advised the media to seek clarification before publishing unfounded and malicious stories about government agencies. The agency follows all due process in awarding public contracts as stated in the Finance Act 2020, which amended the Procurement Act 2007.
Key points
- NASENI denies allegations of financial impropriety over N10.6bn mobilisation payment.
- The payment was made in line with the Public Procurement Act as amended by the Finance Act 2020.
- The NASENI Campus project aims to strengthen Nigeria's innovation ecosystem.
