November 14, 2025
Tech SMEs are at the heart of Nigeria’s industrial future, and the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE) is calling on governments and policymakers to scale up support for technology-driven small and medium enterprises nationwide.
The National President of NSChE, Mr Bayo Olarewaju-Alo, made the appeal on Thursday in Enugu while briefing journalists ahead of the body’s 55th Annual Conference/AGM/Exhibition. He stressed that tech SMEs need stronger industrial parks, cluster hubs, tax incentives, and access-to-finance instruments to operate competitively.
Olarewaju-Alo noted that boosting tech SMEs also requires government backing for local fabrication of processing equipment and spare parts through deeper research–industry collaboration.
He highlighted that the conference, themed “The Role and Contribution of SMEs to National Industrial Development and Growth,” aligns with Nigeria’s economic realities and the urgent need to position tech SMEs as engines of industrial progress.
The NSChE president further urged the government to expand gas utilisation projects and renewable energy initiatives to reduce production costs, adding that policies must be designed to favour local manufacturers and service providers – many of whom are tech SMEs.
He listed persistent challenges facing tech SMEs, including high energy costs, poor infrastructure in industrial clusters, low technology adoption, and weak research–industry linkages. Heavy dependence on imported machinery and materials, he said, continues to undermine local industrial competitiveness.
According to him, SMEs, especially tech SMEs – provide over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s employment and contribute nearly half of the national GDP, making them indispensable to value addition, innovation, and technology diffusion.
Olarewaju-Alo explained that Nigeria cannot rely solely on multinational corporations. Instead, it needs a vibrant network of local producers, processors, fabricators, and service providers; roles primarily filled by tech SMEs – to bridge the gap between raw materials and finished goods.
He said this year’s conference would deliver actionable recommendations by focusing on industrial policy, SME competitiveness, and frameworks that ensure tech SMEs become more sustainable and scalable.
The president emphasized that NSChE’s vision aligns with the national goal of shifting Nigeria from a consumption-based economy to a production-driven system powered heavily by tech SMEs. Such a transition, he added, would stabilize foreign exchange, generate jobs, reduce imports, and promote inclusive growth.
He stressed that chemical engineers, working with other professionals, are positioned to strengthen tech SMEs by providing the technical backbone for sustainable manufacturing in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, energy, and recycling.
On mentoring the next generation, Olarewaju-Alo said the Society is grooming young engineers who will establish processing plants, recycling facilities, and energy start-ups – further expanding the footprint of tech SMEs across the country.
He concluded that the conference must catalyse policy reforms, technology diffusion, and industrial partnerships that empower tech SMEs to drive Nigeria’s industrial renaissance.
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