NASENI Plans Nigeria’s First Metal 3D Printing Hub for Industrial Growth

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has unveiled plans to establish Nigeria’s first Metal Additive Manufacturing Hub as part of efforts to strengthen local production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported industrial components.

The agency disclosed this at the second edition of its Science Perspective Engagement Series, held at the Technology Orientation Centre (TOC), NASENI Headquarters, Abuja.

The proposed hub is expected to advance Nigeria’s capabilities in metal 3D printing, a technology that allows manufacturers to produce complex components directly from digital designs by building materials layer by layer.

Speaking during the engagement, the Overseeing Officer of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development Institute (AMTDI), a division of NASENI in Jalingo, Taraba State, Abdulrahman Barindo Bauro, described metal additive manufacturing as a game changer for industrial development.

Bauro explained that the technology could improve manufacturing efficiency, precision and the production of highly customised and complex components while reducing material waste.

According to him, the proposed facility would support the production of components for sectors including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, energy and defence.

He said, “Additive manufacturing creates components directly from digital designs by building materials layer upon layer, unlike conventional manufacturing processes that remove material from larger workpieces and often generate significant waste.”

Bauro said developing local capacity in the technology would help Nigeria retain capital currently spent on imported components while strengthening indigenous manufacturing capabilities.

He added that the initiative would align with efforts to deepen value addition in the solid minerals sector by locally processing minerals that could serve as feedstock for producing metal powders used in advanced manufacturing.

Beyond manufacturing, he said the hub could stimulate new businesses, create skilled jobs, generate revenue and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging technologies.

Bauro explained that the envisioned manufacturing ecosystem would incorporate digital product design, process simulation, laser powder-fusion systems, powder recovery and recycling, surface finishing and quality assurance facilities.

To ensure the sustainability of the initiative, he advocated a public-private partnership model under which government would provide enabling infrastructure while private sector players contribute specialised equipment, technical expertise and investment capital.

Earlier, Deputy Director and Head of Research and Laboratory Development, Dr Hassan Bakare, described the Science Perspective Engagement Series as an important platform for knowledge exchange, innovation and practical solutions to Nigeria’s technological and industrial challenges.

Closing the session, Deputy Director, NanoBio, Mr Oladipo Dele Kayode, urged participants to translate insights from the engagement into tangible innovations capable of advancing Nigeria’s industrial and technological development.