…Sanwo-Olu hails firm’s ‘Made in Nigeria’ milestone
Arridex, a Nigerian multi-sector industrial technology group, has unveiled West Africa’s first additive manufacturing factory in Lagos, marking a significant milestone in the region’s efforts to reduce reliance on imported spare parts and critical components.
The Phase 2 facility will produce critical components and spare parts for industries such as oil and gas, aerospace, and defence, utilizing cutting-edge 3D manufacturing technology. The factory is expected to boost local production, create jobs, and enhance the region’s supply chain resilience.
Kayode Adeleke, group CEO of Arridex, expressed confidence in Nigeria’s potential as a hub for industrial production in West Africa and his organisation’s role in driving this growth.
“We are gathered here today to open a door. A door to a different idea of what is possible on this continent,” Adeleke said at the unveiling. “The idea that the things that the world needs can be designed in Africa, made in Africa, and trusted everywhere in the world,” he noted.
He explained that the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted global supply chains, highlighted the need for countries’ self-reliance and local production capabilities. He noted that Arridex responded to this challenge by shifting its focus to additive manufacturing (3D printing), enabling the company to produce critical parts and components locally, reducing dependence on global supply chains.
“We are doing the same thing that the mobile phone did for the telecoms industry. We are helping to lead in manufacturing and industrialization,” he said.
Adeleke highlighted the company’s 21-year journey and its focus on driving cultural resilience and advancing Africa’s manufacturing capabilities. “We exist to prove what is true, that Africa not only consumes from the world, but also supplies the world,” he said.
He outlined Arridex’s achievements, including its ISO certification, partnerships with major IOCs, and recognition from regulatory bodies. He emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and social impact, citing its work in healthcare, defense, and energy security.
“The companies we make here meet global standards, because resilience that cannot compete globally is not resilience at all. And this is only the beginning.”
He added that in 2027, his organisation will be commissioning a mega-oil factory, a facility that will run amongst the largest single-sized industrial 3D manufacturing operations in the world.
At the factory commissioning, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State congratulated Arridex on its phase 2 factory, West Africa’s first multi-technology industrial additive manufacturing facility.
He praised the company’s growth and diversification into critical sectors such as defence, oil and gas, aerospace, and manufacturing.
The governor highlighted the significance of Arridex’s achievement, noting that it addresses Nigeria’s dependence on imported components and spare parts and reduces vulnerability to supply chain disruptions.
He emphasized the potential benefits of local manufacturing, including eased pressure on foreign exchange and strengthened industrial resilience.
Sanwo-Olu also commended Arridex’s commitment to innovation, safety, and global capacity development, and encouraged other indigenous companies to emulate its example.
He officially commissioned the factory, expressing confidence that it would drive innovation, create opportunities, and contribute to Lagos and Nigeria’s prosperity.
Also, Brig Gen A. A Lawal, representing the Nigerian Army – Defence Intelligence, noted that additive manufacturing is the way of the future for many processes.
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