LSW16

In this session: we explore the viability of cutting-edge technologies such as 3D printing, in accelerating and enabling a true manufacturing layer, sustained and powered by bottom-up innovation, Maker culture and market-forces. Economists argue that Africa’s decade-long growth has been stunted, putting the continent’s ‘Africa Rising’ narrative at risk. Why? Its lack of a mature manufacturing industry. Despite many attempts to resuscitate this key Nigerian sector, it has remained a laggard, far behind the successes of the telecoms and financial sector. Manufacturing equips a nation with the capabilities to export competitive home-grown products to play on a global scale. Future global economic growth drivers point towards new technology opportunties at the intersection between software, data and hardware. From Facebook to Amazon, we have entered the Age of the Maker, where physical devices and solutions bring digital efficiencies into the real world. 3D Printing technologies will set product development and manufacturing free – reducing SME costs and accelerating product go-to-market - much like the internet democratized information.

Join us for a special panel and debate, with leading local and global experts within manufacturing, product design / development and 3D printing, to explore the future of manufacturing.


NASA Space Apps Nigeria's mission is to catalyze effective, home-grown innovation through community-led collaboration, and local capacity-building efforts. It achieves this by connecting youth and ecosystem , to broader technologies, thought-leadership, fit-for-purpose tools and global knowledge-transfer players.