Industrialization, technology and machine tools

“I am worried that a nation that is striving to industrialize would continue to import basic components such as bolts and nuts that are needed in our Industries…Having watched the presentation of research and development, innovation products like solar panels, small hydro turbines and integrated cassava flour processing plant among others that were manufactured by […]

“I am worried that a nation that is striving to industrialize would continue to import basic components such as bolts and nuts that are needed in our Industries…Having watched the presentation of research and development, innovation products like solar panels, small hydro turbines and integrated cassava flour processing plant among others that were manufactured by NASENI, my hope of an Industrialized Nigeria was further strengthened”, the President said.
Apparently spurred on by the President’s words, NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mohammed Sani Haruna went back to the agency and told the staff: we must not disappoint the President; we should try our best to make sure importation of machine tools is stopped. We can only do this by producing the tools here in mass, even if that would mean collaborating with a private company.  
This made Dr Haruna and his team at NASENI to travel to Nigeria Machine Tools Limited (NMTL) Oshogbo, Osun State, “to see how the agency can work together with the company to produce machine tools for local consumption.”
While in Oshogbo, NASENI renewed the working agreement signed with the company two years ago for the manufacturing of technical tools and machines for manufacturing industries and to equip science laboratories and workshop of technical institutions including secondary schools in Nigeria.
He explained that through its Public Private Partnership (PPP) principle, NASENI’s agreement with NMTL will also see to joint production and manufacturing of semi computer numerical control lathe machines and other machine tools.
On the scope of work and relationship between the two parties, the MoU, stipulates that NMTL shall undertake the design, manufacture and assembly of all the mechanical components of the semi computer numerical control lathe machines and other machine tools, while NASENI shall undertake the design, manufacture and assembly of all electrical/electronic and ICT facilities of same machines and tools. The two parties also agreed to execute the production of the semi computer numerical control lathe machines in line with drawing specification and bills of quantities
Dr Haruna said that NASENI had been producing science kits for primary and secondary schools in the country adding that the collaboration with the private sectors will help in achieving the core mandate of   NASENI, which according to him, include reviving the industrial sector, creating employment and manufacturing of tools locally for sustainable development of the nation’s economy and actualizing the federal government’s transformation agenda and vision 20:2020.
Nigeria’s hope of becoming an industrialised country will be a mirage without local production of machine tools and equipment, he said, adding that it is shameful that the country is still importing scrappers, knives, shovels, diggers, spanners, bolts and nuts when they can be produced here in the country. If this continues, he said, the country would not be able to play in this current industrial revolution going in the world.
According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan had already directed the agency to do all it could to make sure importation of tools is stopped.
He disclosed that the agency would collaborate with NMTL to start production of CMC machine, which can produce all small tools needed by industries in the country.
He said: “We are here to see how we could collaborate with the private sector in production of learning tools for Nigerian schools with the Nigerian Machine Tools Limited, Oshogbo. We are not only into the production of primary and secondary school science kits but we are venturing into tertiary institution equipment. We are not only doing training and retraining in equipment aspects but to participate in reviving relevant industries in Nigeria and support the take-off of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises that are not in business because of lack of the needed machines or equipment. The machines and tools we are commencing operation with are not only for training but for industrial production.
The Director General gave further insight to the importance attached to the visit, saying “there cannot be any visit more important to us than this, most especially, just recently we received specific instruction from the President and Chairman of NASENI board that we should invest most of our resources in research and development activity which an investor or a private sector practitioner will find viable in the market”.
In his own remark, NMTL’s Managing Director Norbert Chukwumah said producing machine tools locally would reduce prices of end products in the market.     
 Mr Chukwumah described machine tools as the base of all developments efforts, stressing that any developing nation that does not have a viable local machine tools production and manufacturing is simply wasting her time because such country will continue to depend on foreigners and foreign bodies or foreign entities for everything she does.
Mr Chukwumah said though NMTL has what it takes to produce tools for local consumption, collaborating with NASENI would only hasten the quest of the federal government to industrialise the country.
 “We have approached NASENI to discuss ways to collaborate about two years ago and now we are already working together. I know that in no distance time by the grace of God, we will move much more further than where we are now and Nigeria would be better for it.”