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So, So Many Viable Projects By Taiwo Obe
The ease contrasts the sweat: using the modern and the traditional 24
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f you are black and an Anglophone, you would need to either hire the services of a minder or be versed in sign language to navigate through Portugal. That is what two Nigerian gentlemen found out two years ago when they attended the convention of their professional network in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. After two frustrating days through department stores and cafes, they happened on a small delicatessen that had a young fellow, apparently a football buff, who could converse in passable English. The lad became animated on learning that his customers were Nigerians.“Ah, Aaamunike...” He was referring to one-time African footballer of the year, Emmanuel Amunike, who played professional football in that country for Sporting Lisbon FC between 1994 and 1997. Another Nigerian international journalist had a similar experience in Cairo, Egypt. As soon as he announced his nationality to the taxi driver who took him from the airport, the discussion up until when the journalist alighted was on football. The driver was a moving encyclopaedia of Nigerian football stars and matches played by Nigerian teams on Egyptian soil. Recalls the journalist: “It was a most thrilling experience, and I felt proud being a Nigerian.” When the subject is football, you can be sure that Nigeria gets favourable mention. The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology would surely wish Nigeria cashes in, literally, on this football-mania. How? Through the production of Made-inNigeria leather footballs. Currently, all the footballs Nigerians play are imported; Tam
Fiofori, an encyclopaedia on Nigerian sports, in affirming this, recalls that the balls used for the African Cup of Nations hosted by Nigeria in 1980 were imported from Kenya. The Science and Technology Ministry submits that everything – almost - needed for the making of footballs is available locally. This is its submission: “The jebu cattle hides have been found to be very good for the production of football leathers. Other raw materials such as the bladder, lining, threads, etc, can be sourced locally….Production of the football leather involves the usage of bates, lime and vegetable tannins Parkia clappertoniana (Dorowa) which can wholly be sourced locally. Production of the football involves cutting the leathers into the appropriate shapes and sizes, stitching and closing.” The Federal College of Chemical and Leather Technology (CHELTECH) in Zaria,
Kaduna State, has researched into this and would provide on request a full complement of the technology for the production of footballs. CHELTECH indeed has the technology of converting leathers into footwear and leather goods. Elsewhere in Zaria, the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) has perfected the production of fatliquor oil. Experts use fat-liquor oil to lubricate leather to prevent cracking and for improving its physical properties such as tensile strength, breakages, stretch, stitch, tear and comfort. All the raw materials, particularly the vegetable oil for local production of fat-liquor, are readily available in Nigeria. Thanks to the Science and Technology Minister, Professor Turner T Isoun, prospective investors (local and foreign) can now access, with ease, the results of successfully developed research such as that on footballs and fatliquor oil, by Nigeria’s 65 research establishments – a host of them with centres across the 36 states. If you had had the notion that these agencies were just there for nothing, you will perish the thought when you come upon this invaluable resource, edited by Dr Abdullaihi Aliyu, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, obtainable at the ministry and available in Portable Document Format (PDF) form, at the Ministry’s website, http://www.fmst.gov.ng. Check at “Commercialisable Projects.” Notes Prof Isoun: “… the Research Establishments have undertaken quite a number of successfully R & Ds with tremendous potentials for the nation’s quest for technological development, job creation and national productivity…so far only a few of the successful developed R & Ds have been
Deploying R&D across the World United States of America EP stands for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. MEP is a nationwide network of not-for-profit centres in nearly 350 locations nationwide, whose sole purpose is to provide small and medium sized manufacturers with the help they need to succeed. The centres, serving all 50 States and Puerto Rico, are linked together through the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. Federal, state, local and private resources fund the Centres to serve manufacturers. That makes it possible for even the smallest firms to tap into the expertise of knowledgeable manufacturing and business specialists all over the United States. These specialists are people who have had experience on manufacturing floors and in plant operations. Each centre works directly with area manufacturers to provide expertise and services tailored to their most critical needs, which range from process improvements and worker training to business practices and applications of information technology. Clients get solutions through a combination of direct assistance from centre staff and outside consultants. Centres often help small firms overcome barriers in locating and obtaining private-sector resources. Since the beginning of MEP, it has assisted over 149,000 firms and growing.
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United Kingdom • The UK Government’s 10-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework, published in July 2004, reaffirmed the commitment to support businesses investing in new and emerging technologies; • A Technology Strategy Board, comprising mainly experienced business leaders, will identify the new and emerging technologies critical to the growth of the UK economy into which government funding and activities can be directed; • Over the period 2005-2008, 320 pounds sterling is available to business in the form of grants to support research and development in the areas identified by the Technology Strategy Board; • In the spring and autumn each year, businesses will have the opportunity to compete for funding using two DTI business support products: Collaborative Research and Development and Knowledge Transfer Networks. Sources: http://www.mep.nist.gov/about-mep/overview.html; http://www.dti.gov.uk/technologyprogramme/pdfs/TechnologyProgrammeOverview.pdf
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President Olusegun Obasanjo, at FIIRO’s Raw Materials Development Workshop, listens to Mr J Udohitinah, the institute’s Chief Research Officer (Pulp and Paper Laboratory). Behind the president in traditional attire is Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa and behind the Chief Research Officer is FIIRO DG Dr Oluwole Olatunji; LEFT: FIIRO’s groundnut roaster
adopted and commercialised.” That means that there are so, so many technical innovations out there, awaiting translation into entrepreneurship; or to quote the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, awaiting “interested local and international entrepreneurs willing to invest in small and medium enterprises using almost 100 per cent local content in process technology, design and manufacture of equipment/machinery, raw materials, plant maintenance and repairs.” Moreover, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology or the research institution that perfected/developed each project is standing by to help with feasibility studies and 26
all that. You may choose to invest in the production of electrical porcelain insulator, produced from Nigerian clays. Now on the large list of imports into Nigeria, firms used this device to insulate buildings and other structures from electric current. The Projects Development Institute (PRODA), in Enugu, Enugu State has demonstrated capacity for its local fabrication, producing a substitute for the imported ones. The clay materials needed for the manufacture are available in every state, repeat, every state in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. Quartz and feldspar are available in commerN I G E R I A
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cial quantities in Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Abeokuta and a few other places in Nigeria. Kaolin is available in Jos, Kankara, Nsu and Oji River. Ball clay is available in Oji River and Enugu. You can obtain expertise and sources of equipment procurement from PRODA. In addition, you do not need any patent. Experts advise filtration of drinking water to keep water-borne diseases away. Products such as water filters came into being to fill that need. PRODA has now demonstrated the capacity for local design and fabrication of ceramic water filter elements and plastic percolator. The expertise for the mould used to produce filter candles from clay as well as the clay mixture is available. You can source the ceramic materials locally. It is a viable venture and there is no outstanding patent. When next you eat maize, either roasted or boiled or in liquid form, think of its opportunity to create wealth for you. The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) at Idu, Abuja and the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Lagos, have proven local
LAYI OLAJUMOKE
ABOVE: The motorised tricycle and its trailer in the workshop of Addis Engineering; RIGHT: light machinery and generator sets at the Addis Engineering workshop
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capability to design facilities to remove oil from maize grit to produce high quality Pharmaceutical Grade Starch (PGS). Current national needs of 3,000 metric tons of PSG are 100% imported. Think about it: maize is in abundance in Nigeria. What are you waiting for? The waiter is passing around the trays for dessert. There it is, your favourite fruit: pawpaw. Pause…and ponder: the latex of pawpaw, the almost mature unripe one, though, is used in the production of papain, which is used for chill proofing of beer, tenderisation of meat, treatment of scar tissues on wound and in leather bating. Hundred per cent of current demand is met through importation. There is not only abundance of pawpaw in Nigeria, the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria, has also perfected the local manufacture of crude papain. Experts say non-availability of spray-drier is the main constraint in the production of refined papain. Are you still keen on eating your paw-paw? Oh, NEPA has struck! For the uninitiated, that means there is an electric power outage, no thanks to the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), the sole public power supplier in Nigeria. Candles. Lanterns.
Alternatively, you remain in darkness. While the authorities are sorting out the supply situation, a wise entrepreneur could see the folk at the Centre for the Adaptation of Technology (CAT) at Awka, capital of Anambra State. They have researched and developed the electricity lamp with automatic voltage regulated source. This is “an emergency lighting system which can sustain the supply of light about six hours after power failure. The system operates using four of two-foot fluorescent tubes that light automatically when the power from the main grid goes off. The lamp consists of a power storage source and an automatic voltage N I G E R I A
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regulator (AVR) which is digitally controlled. The AVR can be used separately to safeguard domestic appliances from excessive power fluctuations.” This is not just theory: the firm has exhibited a functional model of this automatic lamp at Science and Technology Fairs. In addition: all components and materials needed for the production are available in the Nigerian market. All. While you are still in CAT, in Awka, that is, you may wish to find out about the production of printed circuit boards – PCB – copper clad boards and flexible PCB type of electronic circuits, used for the manufacture of commu27
Lead nication equipment, computers and electronic items. CAT has proven local manufacturing capability. A firm has also developed local capability for copying various PCB artworks of electronic circuits and the adaptation of such circuits. Listen to this: there is no difficulty in acquiring all the materials for the production of PCB in Nigeria, and no patents needed, too. From the Science Equipment Development Institute (SEDI), Enugu, The Science Group of the Government Secondary School Gwarimpa, Federal Capital Territory and Usman Dan Fodio Energy Research Centre, Sokoto, comes the Solar Water Distillation Plant, which has facility to absorb energy as source of power for water distillation. Again, you can source all components for the fabrication locally. What can you do with cassava starch, sweet potatoes, molasses and yeast? If your answer is Industrial Alcohol and pure or analar alcohol, you are right. The researchers at FIIRO and PRODA did something: they extracted an enzyme from sweet potato, mixed it with the liquor containing the cassava starch; left it to ferment under a given condition for a given number of days. They process the fermented liquor for distillation to obtain the alcohol. The capacity for local fabrication of the fermenter used here and the process for the extraction of the amylase enzyme from sweet potato are well demonstrated. The cassava starch, sweet potatoes, molasses and yeast are not only available locally; the materials for the fabrication of fermenters and distillation plants are all available locally. Cassava. Cassava. Cassava. Recall, dear reader, that President Olusegun Obasanjo, recently referred to that crop as “queen” of crops, saying that “if we depend on cassava alone, we can survive….It will not only give food security, cassava can give employment, wealth and above all, eradicate poverty.” (See, “The New Queen of Crops,” Nigeria Monthly, Monthly August 2004). There are so many ways to banish poverty from cassava. One of such is the production of cassava pellets. Pelleting is one of the industrial uses of cassava. A number of industrial and research outfits, including the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, have demonstrated capacity for local fabrication of cassava pelleting machine. Others include National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State; National Institute for Fresh Water Fisheries Research, New Bussa, Kogi State and the Paul Omu Fish Farm in Rivers State. 28
Pounded Yam without Sweat By Taiwo Obe and Layi Olajumoke
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J is a director in the federal civil service. He is from that part of the country where yams are in abundance every time of the year. Therefore, he loves pounded yam. He eats it every day. Yes, every day: a day without pounded yam is not a day for OJ. Does he pound the yam himself? No, if not his wife then his house-help or strings of his relations would do it. This medical doctor, a one-time commissioner in a state in the Western part of Nigeria is married to a Caucasian woman. Nevertheless, that does not stop him from eating his pounded yam every morning. Yes, every morning. Who pounds it? The house-help, of course. In many homes in Nigeria, the mortar and pestle for pounding yam are part of the household items. OJ’s and the commissioner’s tribes are legion in various parts of Southern Nigeria and Benue State in the north. In those places, the mortar and pestle for pounding yam are compulsory household property. Shall we begin to sing a farewell song for the mortar and pestle? That is because the yam pounding machine by Addis Engineering, a wholly Nigerian technology company, is being accepted as a perfect substitute by those people who you would have sworn would insist on the traditional way of pounding yam, sweatsoaked and all that. Two traditional rulers in Western Nigeria have bought more than one each in a promo by Lagos-based The Comet Newspaper. Indeed, The Comet deserves commendation for breathing life into the renewed interest in the Addis Yam Pounder. The story as told by The Comet Comet’s Editor-in-Chief Femi Kusa was that he had gone to Addis Engineering’s corporate office/factory at Isolo, a suburb of Lagos, in search of a device for the processing of herbs. Kusa writes a weekly column on Natural Medicine and was on that mission for the Natural Medicine association. An encounter with the owner of Addis led to talk about the Addis Yam Pounder. Engineer Olayeni Olowu developed this household and restaurant equipment in 1974, although its first edition did not come out until 1976. He went into contractual agreement with a reputable supermarket chain of the time. Things went awry with their arrangements, however. To compound its woes, National Electronics, Japan went to town with its edition. National bought the patent for its version of the yam pounder from another Nigerian, a Professor Alofe from the then University of Ife. The National yam pounder cooks the yam, cut into cubes, then pounds. The finishing and packaging were appealing. Confronted with this strong competitor, the Addis version went into limbo, as Olowu could not compete with the Japanese giant. Enter Providence or the competitive miscalculation of National that could not sustain the sales in Nigeria. When the conversation between Kusa and Olowu took place, the machine was out of production. Kusa told Olowu of a business-support scheme whereby The Comet would offer the machine to its readers at a discount. It was like magic. Kusa reports that they sell at least two units of the machine every day at the offices of The Comet.. Addis has now upgraded the machine into a food processor, Comet The Addis Yam Pounder; ABOVE: General Manager, Addis Engineering, Mr Mukaila Owoade N I G E R I A
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able to process not just yam, but all manner of pasty foods common to West Africa: amala, fufu, eba, tuwo and so on Interested in owning one, and have your pounded yam made in one minute, just one minute, after cooking the yam? Alternatively, you want to give a pounded yam-loving person a gift, then call Kusa on 015455631 or 08034004237. Even so, the yam-pounder is just one of the machines manufactured at Addis Engineering Limited. Addis, in turn, is just one of Nigeria’s technological companies turning out equipment and gizmos in all shapes and sizes to remove the drudgery of life from the daily existence of the people. African society had long been agrarian. The bulk of labour in freighting materials to and from farmland, tilling the soil, harvesting and transporting crops from the farm and processing the finished food, for a long time, had been killing to the spines and quality of life of farmers and food processors. It is just needful that there are Nigerians that would live the everyday experience with us, and so have an understanding of the way such tedium could be lifted, boost food production, liberate more time for the development of the mind and spirit and inject more quality to human life. Who are these innovators? They are ordinary, everyday people. They are fascinated and challenged by this alien “culture” of manipulating materials to obtain sophisticated and enhanced tools called machines that accomplish otherwise back-breaking and tedious labours within a twinkle of an eye. The story of Sam Iyinola Makinwa is typical of most of these fabricators. You would see in most of them the picture of a fascinated and curious youngster. Fascinated, but not intimidated. Awed? Yes, but not overawed. Their surmise is that it is possible to unravel the mystery of technology, learn it and master it to better the lots of their society. Their conclusion may be the same, but the route they took to unravel this “mystery” differs. Makinwa’s route took him through the Catalogue Institute of Engineering in India in 1972. There, he acquired, along with Hindu language, a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and a knack for turning out gizmos. However, Makinwa learnt, acquiring knowledge is one thing, putting the acquired knowledge into maximum use is another. Faced with a society and establishment that was not too interested in local technological development, he decided to take up employment with one tech firm, Lurra Industries Limited, in Lagos. He left the service of this organisation as a Chief Engineer when he could not find fulfilment and took his life in his hand, literally. He had only N600 with him in the Lagos of 1989 when he took the plunge. He also had his wife and children to maintain. What some people would have called a foolhardy courage took him to Idimu, a suburb of Lagos, when it was more or less a sparsely populated backwater. “I realised that there is no way I could make it…personally making money, getting fulfilment in what I am doing and contributing to the development of my country technologically, the way I had always wanted, if I should remain in that place.” He rented a small shop with his constantly depleting store of cash, put up a little sign that proclaimed him an engineer, Techo-Quip Engineering Limited. With not as much as a piece of tool (let us leave alone sample works) Makinwa put up his books and catalogues to fill the empty shelves. His efforts paid off nevertheless, as he took up his first commission for N500: a pepper-mill head. Making a round of the various neighbouring welders, he borrowed practically everything from them to fabricate two pepper-mill heads with that N500. He sold the spare mill head for N600. Thus began Makinwa’s upward (difficult, yet exciting) climb towards building a business that is today worth nearly half a billion naira. Looking back, Makinwa said, N I G E R I A
ABOVE: Pastor Makinwa at his factory; LEFT: one of his fabrications for the milling of cereals “Money cannot limit you, if you have a vision strong enough to cushion you.” For Makinwa, there was also an element of the Divine in his rise from obscurity. He got up one morning to reading a newspaper in place of his morning devotion. He claimed it was a Divine direction. He ran across the section which runs the letter to the editor. It was then that he happened on a scheme to draw attention to his business. He wrote a letter to the editor of a business weekly in the name of his wife, where the woman purportedly was making inquiries about where she could find the services an engineer provides. “She” carefully outlined the kind of services she required. It appeared in the paper’s next issue. He then wrote another letter, now in his name to introduce his service to the “woman” making the inquiries, detailing his address, the kind of services he is able to undertake and other necessary details. It was like all of Lagos read that particular “interchange” as readers sent many enquiries, many of which translated to real business for him. Makinwa is now a pastor of a Pentecostal church. His sole fear is that the people he revered in the technological field are rapidly aging and would pass on without passing their expertise, professional excellence and zeal to the next generation. Olowu, the owner of Addis Engineering (mentioned earlier) is one of these aging sages. Nearing 75 years, he had since retired from active administration of his business concern. Like Makinwa, he started very small having left his last posting in the federal bureaucracy. Hope is rising however, now with the increasing empowerment of the investment environment, as many concerns are making moves to broaden their organisational structure by seeking funds in the stock market. A lot of them are seeking this source of funds to be able to do more. Therefore, naturally we should be looking forward to some gizmo to put some smiles and sparkles on our faces. M O N T H L Y
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Lead Funding for Nigerian SMEs By Toki Mabogunje
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overnments around the world now recognise the important contribution that small and medium business enterprises (SMEs) make to the economy, and have thus established extensive support arrangements to help people start and grow their businesses. In Nigeria, hitherto, there had been no concerted effort to encourage and support new businesses. A survey of enterprises in Nigeria will show that there are fewer businesses in the formal sector than in the informal sector. It is difficult to estimate the size of Nigeria’s formal sector, let alone its informal sector, but it is clear that many people are involved in running a business of sorts. The apparent resilience of the informal sector, which provides a wide range of services and goods for the poor to middle classes, sharply contrasts with the fragility of the formal sector. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has attempted to make some estimates of the contribution made to the economy by SMEs in the formal and informal sectors and believes that they account for over 60 per cent of economic activities and over 35 per cent of urban employment. As in many other parts of the world, it is very difficult to persuade the banks to lend to SMEs , which they regard as high risk and producing low returns. So the banks ask for high levels of collateral and interest. In Nigeria, the banks also tend to lend short term. Six months to one year and this can make business difficult for the entrepreneur. As such SMEs in Nigeria have limited access to finance. This fact has led to the perception by SMEs that there are very few financing windows available for their businesses.This is not entirely true. Although the situation is not ideal and there is a need to create more financing windows for business enterprises in Nigeria, there is now a choice of some other financing options besides existing short term options offered by the commercial banks, leasing, and indigenous lending systems such as Esusu* etc. The most well known in recent times is the Small & Medium Industries Equity Investment Scheme (SMIEIS). The SMIEIS is the response by the banking industry to the revamping of the SME sub-sector of the economy. It is a voluntary initiative of the Bankers’ Committee, which requires all licensed banks in Nigeria to set aside 10 per cent of their pre-tax profit for investment in SMEs. SMIEIS defines SME as any enterprise with an asset base not exceeding N200 million excluding land and working capital and with the number of staff employed not less than 10 or more than 300. At the end of July 2004, N24billion had been set aside for SMIEIS investments with approximately N8billion being invested in 176 projects. The scheme has the objectives of facilitating the establishment of new enterprises; the reactivation, expansion and modernisation of on-going enterprises and to stimulate growth, develop local technology and generate employment. To be eligible, the enterprise must comply with the Companies and Allied Matters Act and all other tax and relevant legislations. It must be engaged in any of the following activities: a) Agro-allied b) Information technology and telecommunications c) Manufacturing d) Educational establishments e) Services f) Tourism and leisure g) Solid Minerals h) Construction This scheme has fuelled the development of the venture capital sector of the financial industry. Thus, a number of venture capital companies have been set up by banks and private individuals to provide equity investment to enterprises. Some of these are: a) SME Manager Limited located at C&C Towers, Sanusi Fafunwa Street, Victoria Island, Lagos b) First Funds located at Bull Plaza, Marina, Lagos c) First SMI located at GRA Ikeja, Lagos d) Capital Alliance located at Octagon Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos 32
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Ventures and Trust located at Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos There are other funds available in Nigeria which are foreign based funds. These are : CDC Partners : This organisation is located at Maersk House, Louis Solomon Close, Victoria Island, Lagos and it manages funds which can be accessed by enterprises in Nigeria which meet its requirements AUREOS : This organisation recently set up in Nigeria and is located at Foreshore Towers, Osbourne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. It has access to the Aureos West Africa Fund (“AWAF”), US$27m fund which invests in small and medium-sized enterprises in the West African region south of the Sahara. This Fund is currently managed from the Lagos office and another in Accra. A third office is expected to be opened in Dakar (Senegal) early next year. (See http://www.cdcgroup.com/inv_aureos_west_africa. html) First International Bank USA (FIB). This is a UPS Capital company, represented in Nigeria by SECTRUST. The company is located at Foreshore Towers, Osbourne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. FIB provides medium term US Exim Bank loans from a minimum of $150,000.00 to Nigerian businesses. For further information, please visit www. upscapitalcom.. From Nigeria, businesses can also access foreign based funds. Some of these funds are :The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) was established in 1971 as a selfsustaining US government development agency whose mission is to mobilise and facilitate the participation of United States private capital and skills in the economic and social development of less-developed countries and areas, and countries in transition from non-market to market economies. It does this by providing political risk insurance, direct loans and loan guarantees and OPIC supported funds. Modern Africa Fund Managers LLC provides private equity funds for businesses in sub-Saharan Africa. The Fund’s capitalisation is $110 million, comprised of $40 million of equity leveraged by $70 million of debt guaranteed by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Agribusiness and Manufacturing take 30 per cent of the Fund. (See www.modernafrica.com). AIG African Fund Infrastructure Fund LLC was established in March 2000 to invest in infrastructure and related industries in Africa. The fund will either join with African and international companies to sponsor attractive new businesses, or will invest in established companies to fund growth and new operations. The fund is a Mauritius limited life company formed to invest primarily for long-term capital appreciation through equity, quasi-equity and convertible debt instruments in infrastructure related companies and projects in African countries. The fund has US$407.6 million in commitments from investors. The fund has a 10-year term, extendible for up to two years, and all investments must be made and liquidated within the funds term. The major investors in the Fund are the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the African Development Bank (ADB), and El Paso Energy Corporation. Significant investments have also been made by a group of European national and multinational development organisations, including the European Investment Bank. (See http://www.empwdc.com/EMP_Africa.htm)
One of the major challenges faced by businesses is the lack of information. It is hoped that the information given in this article proves useful to business owners and managers. You are encouraged to go on-line to find out more about what is available from each of the organisations mentioned in this article. Please note that the organisations mentioned in this article are only a fraction of what is available. *Esusu: savings association: a cooperative savings association in which members pay in a percentage of their earnings each month then each take a turn at receiving the sum collected Source: MSN Encarta Dictionary MRS TOKI MABOGUNJE IS THE PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT OF TMC (TOKI MABOGUNJE AND CO), A LAGOS-BASED FIRM OF ENTERPRISE CONSULTANTS PROVIDING, AMONG OTHERS, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. SHE HAS BEEN A KEY MOTIVATOR FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSINESS SERVICE UNIT OF THE LAGOS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996.
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Lead What has cassava to do with fish? Cassava pellet combines with other-nutrient-bearing foodstuff in the formulation of livestock feeds such as fish feeds, layers and poultry feeds. Check in with PRODA and FIIRO too on the production of cassava pellets. The Nigerian Building, Road and Research Institute, in Abuja, has also developed alternative building technologies with 100 per cent locally-sourced materials including agro-industrial wastes with premium placed on preservation of the eco-system. These products include cement-stabilised soil blocks (from laterites, 4%), red bricks (from laterites), improved sun-dried bricks, roofing materials such as fibre-based roofing sheet, tile fibre concrete roofing sheet) and a locally fabricated brick-making machine. Talking about process inventions, a number of these institutions have a lot to show off. We would quickly run through some: • Alcohol Distillation Plant – for the distillation of palm wine and other fermented sugar solutions to produce alcohol and vinegar. (FIIRO and PRODA) • Pasteuriser – for the pasteruisation of perishable products such as milk, bottled palm wine, fruit drinks, etc. (FIIRO) • Corking Facility – for corking (capping) of bottles. (FIIRO) • Specific Weighting Machine – for measuring specific weights of products for packaging (FIIRO) • Distilled Water Plant – to produce pure distilled water. (PRODA & FIIRO) • Maize Shelling Machine (motorised) – for large-scale shelling of maize (PRODA); manual maize shelling machine, available at the Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. • Fish Smoke Dryer – to smoke and dry fresh and/or frozen fish. (FIIRO and Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), Lagos • Laundry Soap Kit – for the production of laundry and toilet soaps. (FIIRO and NARICT) This one did not originate from any of the institutions but by one Nigerian called James O Agboronfo of Agboronfo Street, EguaneUromi, Edo State. It is a Water Activated Heater – for boiling water for household use and for industrial use. You activate the heater by immersion in water. It does not heat up or shock when placed outside water and connected (and switched on) to the current. Shall we, please, round off with FIIRO, the oldest of the four industrial research institutes
Research establishments in Nigeria and their mandates FEDERAL MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 1. Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi, Lagos: Research and development into food processing, agro-allied, textiles, pulp and paper, design and fabrication of prototypes, micro-electronic and information services. 2. National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Abuja: To encourage a more effective process for the identification and selection of foreign technology as well as vet, register and monitor contract agreements for the acquisition of foreign technologies by Nigeria Local Patents registration. 3. Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Abuja: Promote, support and expedite industrial development and self-reliance through optimal utilisation of local raw materials as inputs for the nations’ industries. 4. Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI): Research into the use of local materials and methods in road and building construction. 5. National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Abuja: Pursue the development and application of space science and technology by developing indigenous capabilities for research and development to boost socio-economic potential of the nation. 6. Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Abuja: To embark on research and development of advanced nuclear facilities for Nigeria as well as establish advanced research laboratories. 7. National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Abuja: To embark on the development of science and engineering material complexes for the production of basic tools and science and engineering materials. 8. National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Abuja: To ensure the implementation of the National Information Technology (IT) Policy and to coordinate and regulate the information technology sector. 9. National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan: To undertake N I G E R I A
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developmental research, data gathering and dissemination of technological information on matters relating to genetic resources utilisation, genetic engineering and biotechnology. Regional Programme for Technology Management (REPTEM), Lagos To embark on research and development of management of science and technology resources in the West African SubRegion. National Center for Technology Management (NACETEM), Ile-Ife: To train and carry out research in technology management and developing high-level manpower in science and technology policy formulation. Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research (NITR), Kaduna: Research into Trypanosomiasis and onchoerciasis generally, especially the pathology, immunology and methods of treatment of the diseases. Federal College of Chemical and Leather Technology (CHELTECH), Zaria: To train middle-level manpower in all aspects of chemical and leather technology. Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), Lagos: Initiate policy and improve the knowledge on the practice and potential of natural medicine with a view to fully developing and integrating it into the National Health care delivery system. Project Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu: Research into engineering, design and fabrication, ceramic products, electrical and electronic products and energy including coal and scientific equipment. National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria: Carry out research and development work into processes for the conversion of solid minerals, petroleum and agricultural raw materials into useful industrial chemicals, petrochemicals and polymers. Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Abuja: To conduct research and to develop energy facilities for Nigeria, for ensuring adequate supply of energy at affordable cost and to enhance at affordable our national security. Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NNISLT), Ibadan: To advance science laboratory 33
Lead technology profession in Nigeria. 19. Technology Incubation Programme Nationwide: Designed to nurture new start-up businesses that engage in science and technology based activities through the establishment of technology business incubation (TBI) centers. 20. National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Abuja: To empower the nation to become self-reliant in the development and application of biotechnologybased products and services. FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 21. Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria: Ibadan: Research into cocoa, kola, cashew, coffee and tea. 22. Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan: Research into natural forests, plantations, woods products and wild life. 23. Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN), Benin: Research into natural rubber and its by-products 24. National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike: Research into yams, cassava, cocoyams, irish potatoes, sweet potatoes and ginger. Farming systems Research and Extension covering the South East Agricultural zone. 25. National Cereal Research Institute, (NCRI), Bida: Research into rice, soya-beans, beniseed and sugarcane 26. National Institute for Fresh Water Fisheries Research, New Bussa: Research into fresh water fisheries and other aquatic resources in rivers, natural and manmade lakes 27. National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan: Research into fruits, vegetables, their processing and preservation; development of indigenous ornamentals 28. Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin: Research into storage and preservation systems for agricultural produce 29. Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri: Research into variety improvement of wheat and barley, improvement of farming systems and all agricultural crops in Borno and Adamawa States 30. Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), Lagos: Research into the geophysical phenomena of the Nigerian ocean bed and the contiguous land mass research on marine and brackish water fisheries and oceanography 31. Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm 34
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Research, Benin City: Research into oil palm, coconut, raffia palm and ornamental palms and dates National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom: Research into livestock diseases and their control including the production of vaccines and sera Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ibadan: Conducts research and training in tropical agricultural crops and animals. Federal Soil Conservation School, Owerri: Train and produce manpower in tropical soils as well as its conservation, flood and erosion management and control. Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan: The college is mandated to conduct research and training into animal production, husbandry, health, in order to improve animal protein sufficiency in Nigeria. Institute for Agricultural Research and Extension Services, ABU – Zaria: The institute is mandated to conduct research and training in the production and management of mandate crops like sorghum, maize, groundnut, cotton, etc that are commonly grown in the savannah region of Nigeria. National Animal Production Research Institute, Zaria: The main mandate is to research into the production and management of tropical livestock like goat, sheep, camel, horse and cattle. Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Niger State: Training and research into domestication and management of tropical wildlife. Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan: Training in forest resources, parks and ranges. Federal College of Animal Production Technology, Jos: Training of Nigerians in the technology of animal and livestock production and management. Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFM), Lagos: Training of Nigerians in the field of marine technology and management and oceanography, fishing and fisheries production. Federal College of Agriculture, Akure: Training of manpower development in the field of agriculture and farm management. Federal College of Agriculture, Umudike: Training of manpower development in the field of agriculture and farm management. N I G E R I A
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44. Federal College of Veterinary, Medical Laboratory and Technology: Training and research into domestic animal life, health and management. 45. Federal Soil Conservation School, Kuru, Jos: Train and produce manpower in tropical soil as well as its conservation, flood and erosion management and control. 46. National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation NCAM, Ilorin: To train and produce technical manpower in areas of agricultural mechanisation. 47. Rural Agricultural and Industrial Development Scheme (RAIDS), Ibadan: A scheme with a mandate of converting agricultural produce to a raw material of a rural industry. Developing rural area, creating wealth and creating job for a teaming population. 48. Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB), Kaduna: Financing and supporting Agricultural schemes, financing and supporting co-operative societies, financing of rural development project. 49. Agricultural Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Ilorin: Training of agricultural extension workers, research in agricultural management. FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH 50. Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos. Medical Research into communicable diseases, e.g. malaria, human parasites, etc. nutritional defect problems, genetic and non-communicable diseases, public health, etc. 51. Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Abuja. Research into medical plants, herbs and drugs development and formulary. FEDERAL MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY 52. SMEDAN, Abuja: To harness the prospect of viable Small and Medium Industry (SMIs) subsector as the vehicle for rural industrialization and poverty eradication. To coordinate and support the development of SMEs in Nigeria. 53. Bank of Industry, Abuja: To assist in resuscitating ailing industries and promoting new ones to cover all the geopolitical zones in the country. 54. National Automotive Council, Abuja: To rehabilitate, expend, sustain and encourage the development and the automobile sub-sector in Nigeria. To promote the development and increased usage of local components parts by putting in place appropriate tariff structure in favour of local production. 55. National Sugar Development
Council, Abuja: To accelerate the growth and development of the local Sugar Industry industry in order to achieve at least 70% self-sufficiency by the year 2010 & thereby drastically reduce sugar importation as well as conserve foreign exchange. 56. African Regional Centre for Design and Engineering Manufacture (ARCEDEM), Ibadan: To promote engineering design in African. To develop and train engineering personnel particularly in Engineering Design and Manufacturing processes. E) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER AND STEEL 57. Metallurgical Training Centre, Onitsha: To train of Engineering personnel on processes of material sciences (metallic and non-metallic materials). 58. National Metallurgical Research and Development Centre, Jos: Undertaking Competitive Research & Development of various aspects of Material Behavior. 59. National Steel Raw Materials Exploration Agency, Kaduna: Development of Raw Material base of the steel plants. FEDERAL MINISTRY OF SOLID MINERALS DEVELOPMENT 60. Nigeria Mining Cooperation, Jos: To coordinate mining activities nationwide. To promote and encourage cooperation between Nigeria and the external community in mining activities. 61. Nigeria Coal Cooperation, Enugu: To research, develop and produce coal for both local use and exportation. 62. Bitumen Project, Akure: To coordinate, research, promote and develop the bitumen industry. 63. Geological Survey of Nigeria (GSN), Kaduna: To coordinate mining activities nationwide. To promote and encourage cooperation between Nigeria and the external community in mining activities. FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION 64. National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC): To develop and monitor curricula for primary and secondary schools. 65. National Mathematical Centre, Abuja: To promote the teaching of mathematics in primary and secondary schools and provide the tools in pure and applied sciences. 66. All Tertiary Educational Institutions: To provide training and carry out pure and applied research.
in the country. Established in 1956 with the name Institute of Applied Research, it has no fewer than 60 product and process inventions to its credit, a number of them in fermented food production and organic agriculture. If you had ever taken bottled palm-wine before, chances are that the producer deployed FIIRO’s technology in its production. Soy-ogi, a fermented maize-based soyabean-fortified protein-rich weaning food is one of its earliest inventions. FIIRO patented it since 1971. They introduced and test-marketed soy-ogi in 197273. The adult variety is also available. This invention still awaits large-scale industrial production. A few notes should be useful to the prospective investor. • The local maize pap used to wean babies is high in starch and low in protein. The invention of soy-ogi baby food aimed at curbing malnutrition in babies. Soyogi is high in proteins, minerals and vitamins. Soybean, which is a constituent of soy-ogi, is not only rich in protein, fat, minerals and vitamins it also has some medicinal uses. The belief is that it can help to prevent cancer and heart disease. Scientists at the University of Illinois, in the United States recently indicated that it might help people with type 2 diabetes head off kidney disease. • FIIRO licensed Soy-ogi to a Lagos-based company that actually went into the production of the product, and later had some technical problems. Although some sources assert that it had to do with toxicology, FIIRO officials insist it was to do with a mechanical problem. If it was about toxicity, the good news is that FIIRO “has developed highly regarded detoxification measures against aflatoxins, particularly in maize and sorghum food products and fruit extraction and preservation in form of bottled and canned fruit drinks,” quoting a newspaper report. • Soy-ogi’s high nutritional value and relative low cost remain its competitive strengths. If only infants could talk…. When next you pick up your favourite perfume(s) from the Duty Free shops at the world’s airports, know that the money you are spending could actually be coming into your pockets. Nigeria has abundant aromatic plants that are key in the production of essential oils, flavours and fragrances. FIIRO, yes, FIIRO, has designed, fabricated and standardised a very simple, appropriate and easily applicable multi-purpose essential oil distillation plant N I G E R I A
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for this purpose. How sweet? NARICT, the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology in Zaria, has documented important works accomplished on essential oils especially on eucalyptus and neem trees. In line with its mission statement,“to promote technological activities and industrialisation of the national economy through research and development,” FIIRO regularly conducts workshops to assist prospective investors in various technologies it has perfected. It has held workshops in 2004 on production of laundry and toilet soap, instant pounded yam flour and powdered fufu from cassava, fruit juice from Nigerian fruits, body and hair pomade, zobo drink and cassava starch; bread and confectionery baking technology, edible mushroom cultivation, essential oil extraction from lemon grass, eucalyptus and citronella leaves and electroplating and plug refurbishing. The whole idea, according to FIIRO Director-General, Dr Oluwole Olatunji, is “to empower people to be employers.” Speaking at the 40th anniversary of FIIRO, another FIIRO DG Professor Sunday Ayodele Odunfa noted, “The rate of adoption of our small-scale technologies among FIIRO-trained entrepreneurs is 41%.” That was in 1996. Odunfa used that occasion to make a plea: “If the country will benefit fully from the technological inventions of Research and Development, funds must be provided to carry out commercial exploitation of the inventions.” There is something to cheer. Right now at FIIRO, renovation is going in several places. New building items were arriving in late November when we visited and an official enthused,“there is refreshing here.” Is it manna from Heaven? It is the federal government at work. In March, President Olusegun Obasanjo visited FIIRO with Science and Technology Minister Prof Isoun in tow and he felt “reasonably pleased” with what he saw. He told the staff: “If you are feeling unfulfilled, you will be fulfilled and your fulfilment lies in people taking your products and research to the market and the populace accepting them….” He then pledged: “I believe we shall do our best to assist FIIRO to have their infrastructure and machines refurbished to enhance the capacity of the institute.” The question he asked that should provoke everyone, government, research institutes, financial institutions…Nigerians is: “The raw materials and human resources are here. The knowledge to turn the raw materials into products that industries need is here. So what is wrong with us?” 35