Learning, upgrading and innovation in Nigerian indigenous industries

In spite of the increasing globalisation of technology, the involvement of developing countries in producing new technologies and innovations is almost negligible. The production of technological knowledge is concentrated in industrial countries and developing nations are still lagging behind as far as competition on the technological frontier is concerned. It is therefore imperative for developing countries to look inwards to deploy science, technology and innovation (STI) in specific areas where they have comparative advantage. These comparative advantages could then be developed to achieve competitive advantage. Indigenous technology is one of the veritable areas where these nations can derive global competitiveness. In Nigeria, the indigenous industries are as diverse as the culture of the people. Some of the common indigenous industries found in the country include: the production of pots from aluminum metal scraps, bronze casting, leather tanning, and the likes. The indigenous technologies present significant opportunities for local economic transformation and global competitiveness. This would happen if these technologies are upgraded through the deployment of science and technology. This paper presents findings from a two-year study of some major indigenous technology clusters in Nigeria.