A Port Harcourt-based dealer in ceramics, Chief Oscar Obianga, has expressed dissatisfaction over lack of attention given to the sector in Nigeria.
Obianga, who noted that  ceramic industry was a critical sector of the economy with huge potentials for growing national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as boosting job creation, was sadly ignored by the government.
He stated that the federal government could take advantage of the abundance of the natural resources used in making ceramics in the country to boost the economy by sharing in the ceramic global market.
According to him, “Inspite of the huge potentials of the sector to the nation’s economy in terms of job creation, production capacity of the sector has remained very low. Nigeria is second to Egypt in Africa in terms of  ceramic production, and eight in the world”.
He regretted that while there is the abundance of raw materials in the country such as quartz, feldspar and clay, Nigeria still has about 11 million shortfall for ceramics demand.
He observed that ceramic products which are used in buildings have the capacity to last as long as 150 years, pointing out that apart from using the products as tiles, ceramic products are used as sanitary wares, table wares, electric porcelain and insulator, auto-mobiles, among several other uses
Furthermore, he said lack of awareness due to non-inclusion of ceramics education, technology and engineering in the country’s educational system was one of the challenges confronting ceramic industry.
Obianga added that “low domestic participation in ceramic activities, lack of modern production technology and facilities, and absence of basic infrastructure such as motorable roads, water supply and regular power supply were challenges confronting the sub-sector of the nation’s economy”.

By: Tonye Nria-Dappa