The National Institute of Welding has urged the federal government to continue to invest in welding technology and skills development to strengthen industrial capacity and boost economic growth.

The president of NIW, Solomon Edebiri, made this appeal in an interview in Lagos on Monday.

He said the government’s attention was needed in the profession, as welding remained a critical driver of Nigeria’s infrastructure development and industrial growth.

Mr Edebiri noted that welding played a central role in virtually all sectors of national development.

He added that the institute had continued to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that welding standards in Nigeria aligned with global best practices.

“I recall that Nigeria developed a National Welding Policy, which was approved by the National Energy Council in October 2002, as part of efforts to standardise welding practice in the country.

“The importance of welding cannot be overemphasised as industries such as construction, transportation, oil and gas, agriculture, communication, and education rely heavily on welding processes for assembling equipment and facilities,” he said.

Explaining the importance of welding, the NIW president said that in the telecommunications sector, welding is used in the fabrication and installation of masts that support network infrastructure across the country.

He said, “In the agricultural value chain, welding supports the production of tractors and other equipment used for soil preparation, harvesting and processing.

“Storage facilities such as silos and warehouses are largely made of steel structures that depend on welding for fabrication and installation.

“Also, Nigeria’s transport infrastructure also depends on welding, particularly in the construction of ports, ferries and pipelines used in moving crude oil, gas and other resources.”

He noted further that refineries and petrochemical facilities are composed of networks of tanks and pipelines assembled using various welding techniques.

Mr Edebiri stressed that welding was not only important in assembling industrial structures but also crucial in ensuring safety and durability.

According to him, the institute, as a member of the International Institute of Welding, is authorised to deliver welding training and certification in line with international guidelines.

He stressed that the institute was ensuring that welding practices are guided by quality assurance standards from the design stage through material selection, welding execution, and integrity testing.

(NAN)