Stakeholders in Nigeria’s manufacturing and solid minerals sectors have warned that the country is failing to maximise its ceramics’ economic potential as a result of policy gaps, weak capacity and poor institutional support.
The stakeholders made the observations at the maiden Nigeria Ceramics Investment Summit and Product Exhibition 2026 held in Lagos on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Epina Technologies Ltd., Prof. Eguakhide Oaikhinan, said Nigeria possessed abundant ceramic raw materials and a growing domestic market but lacked the strategic direction required to develop the sector into a major contributor to industrial growth, employment and exports.
Oaikhinan, who is also a Professor of Engineering, said the summit was conceived as a platform to bring together industry operators, researchers, investors, financial institutions and policymakers to move beyond discussions and drive practical actions capable of transforming the sector.
“We want to bring people from industry, academia, banking and other sectors together for meaningful conversations and turn those conversations into execution because execution creates industries, jobs and measurable outcomes,” he said.
According to him, many Nigerians still associate ceramics only with household pottery and decorative products, thereby overlooking its critical role in modern industrial development.
He explained that ceramic materials are extensively used in construction, transportation, healthcare, energy and manufacturing industries.
“Ceramics are used in aviation, automotive engineering, medical engineering, metallurgy, cement production and many other industrial applications.
“You cannot do civil engineering and construction without ceramic tiles, bricks, sanitary wares and insulators.
“You cannot effectively distribute electricity without ceramic insulators, and there are dozens of ceramic components in vehicles,” he said.
The professor noted that ceramic products are also used in spark plugs, brake pads, heat-resistant industrial components, dental materials, prosthetics, water filtration systems and various engineering applications.
He said in spite of Nigeria’s abundant deposits of clay, feldspar, kaolin and silica sand, the country continued to rely heavily on imported ceramic products.
According to him, one of the major obstacles confronting the sector is the absence of a comprehensive national ceramics development policy.
“The problem is that there is no national policy on ceramics. There is also inadequate specialised training and limited institutional support for the industry.
“If we fail to address these gaps, it will be difficult to build a strong ceramics industry despite the enormous resources available in the country,” he said.
Oaikhinan said the summit sought to promote investment, encourage industrial partnerships, facilitate technology transfer and strengthen collaboration among government, academia and industry players.
He identified high production costs, energy challenges, dependence on imported technology, limited access to finance and weak research-industry collaboration as key constraints affecting sector growth.
The professor also called for the establishment of a National Centre for Ceramic Development and Skill Acquisition to serve as a hub for research, innovation, entrepreneurship development, product testing and quality assurance.
According to him, such a centre will help Nigeria develop local technologies, reduce dependence on imported expertise and support export-oriented manufacturing.
He further appealed to government agencies, development partners, financial institutions and private investors to support the creation of an online ceramics training platform for youths and women.
He said the initiative would expand access to technical and entrepreneurial skills, particularly in underserved communities, while creating opportunities for self-employment and small business development.
Oaikhinan noted that ceramics could play a strategic role in Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda through its contributions to housing, infrastructure development, power transmission, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, water systems, tourism and the creative economy.
“Ceramics is not merely a creative field; it is a strategic industrial sector with enormous economic potential,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Ali Abozekry, Africa Regional Representative of System Ceramics, Italy, described Africa as the future of global ceramic manufacturing because of its vast resource base and expanding market opportunities.
He said increasing urbanisation, population growth and infrastructure development across the continent were driving demand for ceramic products.
According to him, Nigeria is particularly well-positioned to become a leading ceramics manufacturing hub in Africa due to its large population and rising construction activities.
“Africa is the future of ceramic manufacturing because the raw materials are here and the manpower is here.
“Nigeria has a growing demand for ceramic tiles and construction materials, and we expect the country to become a leader in ceramic manufacturing across Africa,” he said.
Abozekry added that the expected rise in urban populations would increase demand for housing projects, shopping malls, hotels and other infrastructure, creating significant opportunities for local ceramic manufacturers.
At the sidelines of the event, Dr John Isemede, former Director-General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), said Nigeria’s inability to add value to its vast solid mineral resources remained a major obstacle to industrial development.
He said the country’s solid minerals sector contributed less than one per cent to Gross Domestic Product despite the availability of dozens of commercially viable minerals.
According to him, Nigeria possesses more than 40 commercially viable solid minerals in significant quantities but continues to export raw materials and import finished products.
“Today, a substantial percentage of the ceramic tiles, sanitary wares and related products used in Nigeria are imported despite the availability of local raw materials.
“The challenge is that we are not adding value. When you fail to add value, you are essentially creating jobs and wealth for other countries,” he said.
Isemede attributed the decline of local manufacturing firms to multiple taxation, poor infrastructure, inadequate industrial support and limited access to competitive financing.
He said many ceramic and manufacturing companies that once operated successfully in Nigeria had either shut down or scaled back operations because of the harsh business environment.
The former NACCIMA director-general also stressed the need for stronger export infrastructure, improved logistics systems and policies that encouraged local production.
According to him, the country must prioritise industrial capacity development, if it hopes to achieve its target of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.
“The take-home message is that Nigeria has the raw materials, but we do not have the institutions and manpower required to maximise their value.
“That is where government, industry and educational institutions must concentrate their efforts,” he said.
The stakeholders agreed that targeted investments, stronger policy support, skills development and closer collaboration among government, academia and industry would be essential to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s ceramics sector
