By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – STAKEHOLDERS in the manufacturing industry have called for collaboration between manufacturers, universities and governments to research to enhance the quality of local manufacturing and promote made-in-Nigeria goods.

This was part of the position taken at a Focus group meeting organized by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to discuss the challenges facing Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and the opportunities available for manufacturers and the country.

The one day even had representatives from the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, manufacturers, academia, the state’s Ministry of Science and Technology, Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) among others.

A prominent industrialist and manufacturer, Dr. Austin Lazarus discussed the challenges manufacturers face in Nigeria and offered practical solutions.

Drawing from his visits to China, he emphasized the importance of reverse engineering and a shift in mindset to strengthen Nigeria’s manufacturing base underscoring the critical role of Research and Development in industrial growth.

He said “There should be a strong collaboration between the industries and the academia on the one hand, the industries who are producers of goods, products, machinery, there are times they need to improve on their quality reach, they want to make their products have some superior features, they don’t know how to go about it because they are there working and producing but there are some people who are there in the citadels of learning, theirs is to research so manufacturers should go to them to say look this id the product I am producing, I desire to have more value, in this case, it is the industry that has moved to the academia then the researchers could now assign some of their PhD students on these needs and the company can fund the research because technology is about solving problems.”

He said the universities can also approach the manufacturers on research they have done that can be acquired, adding that the government can also deliberately fund research to improve the quality of made-in-Nigeria goods.

In his opening remarks, NASENI’s representative, Dr. Emmanuel Obinna, emphasized the agency’s critical role in driving Nigeria’s industrial and technological advancement.

He said “Nigeria is producing so many quality products like led bulbs, solar panels, cables and several others which are of higher quality than imported ones” insisting that the Agency was ready to partner with stakeholders to produce quality products but lamented that most of the research works of scholars end up in the shelves.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director of the ICTA, Mr. Eghosa Urhoghide, who represented the State Governor, Sen. Monday Okebholo said the state government was ready to support and partner the NASENI to achieve its aims.

On his part, the representative of SON, Opobio Clapperton said one of the reasons substandard products enter Nigeria is because the SON is not present at the point of entry which are mainly the seaports, airports and land borders but said the SON had been working to support local manufacturers.