NITDA launches first free Fabrication Laboratory for tech innovation

…Says equipment open for free to Nigerians

In efforts to facilitate implementation of National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), Federal Government through National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Friday launched the first Fabrication Laboratory (FABLAB 1.0) in Nigeria.

This is coming as NITDA disclosed that equipment can be freely accessed by all Nigerians who want to innovate.

The FabLab is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that include Printed Circuit Board (PCB) production equipment, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) mahcines, 3D printers, servers, GPUs, etc.

While commissioning the FABLAB 1.0 on Friday in Abuja, The Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, said the FABLAB was part of the agency’s effort to make Nigeria an innovation hub.

Abdullahi added that the FABLAB would encourage all digital innovators and makers to drive their ideas from inception to impact.

“The FABLAB maintains an open access policy to allow the FabLab to serve as a digital innovation accelerator for all innovators and makers.

“It allows open-production and public access to aid innovation and entrepreneurship activities,” he said.

Abdullahi revealed that the centre is open for free to all Nigerians who desire to innovate, create ideas beneficial to Nigeria’s digital economy.

He added that the center engages in hands-on digital fabrication skills training and capacity building for both in-house staff and external participants in line with the it’s policies.

According to him, to further boost digital innovation awareness among Nigerian youths, visitation and tour of the lab facility by schools, universities, and research centers is encouraged.

The paper gathered that digital fabrication laboratory (FABLAB) is the engine of implementation and serves all the entities within an ecosystem.

The Project is managed by the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics(NCAIR), a subsidiary of NITDA.