Mudiame University Partners with Italian Firms to Build Ceramic Factory in Nigeria

Mudiame University plans to establish a pilot ceramic factory within the next five to six months through partnerships with Italian technology companies.

The Chancellor of the university and Chairman of Mudiame International Group, Prof. Sunny Eromosele, announced the plan after attending TECNA 2026 in Rimini, Italy.

The university is working with between five and seven Italian organisations, including the Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machinery and Equipment for Ceramics, System Ceramics and Gabrielli Technology.

The collaboration will cover technology transfer, equipment development, training, research and ceramic production systems.

Mudiame University has already received approval from the National Universities Commission for its Ceramic Engineering programme.

According to Eromosele, the planned factory will give students practical experience with ceramic processing, machinery and production technology.

“Most programmes do not provide sufficient practical knowledge. We want students to acquire first-hand experience operating and designing ceramic technology,” he said.

He identified the shortage of skilled manpower and technical knowledge as one of the major challenges affecting Nigeria’s ceramic industry.

“We have the market and the raw materials, but we lack competency in technology, manpower and equipment,” he said.

Nigeria has deposits of clay, silica and other minerals used in ceramic production, but much of the country’s demand for tiles, sanitary ware and related products is still met through imports and foreign-owned manufacturers.

Eromosele said building local expertise is necessary if Nigeria wants to develop a competitive ceramic industry.

“Even if investors have billions of Naira today, where is the local manpower? If it is not there, you cannot be competitive,” he said.

The university also plans to introduce short professional courses alongside its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to train engineers and technicians.

Eromosele said the partnership is not intended to focus only on importing machinery.

“It should not simply be about importing machinery. As a university, we should be able to introduce our own technology and adapt what is available,” he said.

The collaboration will also cover material processing, grinding technology, production automation and other systems used in ceramic manufacturing.

He said ceramic technology has applications in sanitary ware, construction materials, hospital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.

He also pointed to the use of laterite for brick production as one area that could help reduce construction costs.

“With the right machinery and laterite, you can produce bricks and make housing more affordable,” he said.

Eromosele called for stronger links between universities, government and industry to support research, technical training and local manufacturing.

He said stronger local capacity would reduce dependence on foreign specialists, imported technology and overseas testing while creating more opportunities for Nigerian engineers and technicians.

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