Agency plans mass production of kerosene fridges

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), has acquired Kerosene powered refrigerators with the aim of replicating them and developing the requisite skills for mass production, Director General of NOTAP, Umar Bindir has said.

The Kerosene refrigerator was devised to tackle the challenge of inadequate power supply, which has made it impossible for dwellers in the rural communities to preserve their perishable goods for a long time.

Mr. Bindir said the innovation will bring succour to over 100 million rural dwellers in Nigeria,

"As you know we are facing power challenges and we have more than 100 million of our people living in the rural areas facing this same problem, so NOTAP is in partnership with Frigoglass, a subsidiary of Leventis Company to be able to start manufacturing this in Nigeria."

He added that by the time "we start making ‘Made in Nigeria refrigerators'; it will be very useful to our people in the rural communities, rural schools, rural health care facilities and rural market, hotels etc."

Domestication of technology

The initial plan is for the agency to domesticate the technology. He said one of the fridges bought from their foreign partners have been stationed in National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria, an agency of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology so that the Nigerian Engineers can commence the manufacturing process using it as a case study.

"The engineers are opening the whole thing up. They are going to make the whole thing 100 per cent. When we now have our own prototype made in Nigeria, we now engage a private investor and then we will start replicating them in large numbers. Though this sample was assembled in Nigeria by Frigoglass, the prototypes were made with imported elements but we are trying to make it with completely made in Nigeria elements," Mr. Bindir noted, adding that they have projected to deliver the products to the Nigerian market next year.

In trying to acquire and domesticate this technology for manufacturing the kerosene powered fridges, the NONTAP boss said the agency will ensure that the manpower on ground: the mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, the refrigerator engineers are exposed to this technology, so they can now use their intellect to remake it through what is called reverse engineering.

He further said that when that is done and they test and realise it is working perfectly, they will now develop what is called ‘machines that make machines.' With that they can make the products in large numbers. This will be followed by feasibility.

Mr. Bindir also said that based on the response from the market, a pricing regime for the unit will be fixed. "We will get venture capitals, entrepreneurs who are interested, we will ‘lock them up', protect any intellectual property that is coming out of it. We will work the ratios for the payments to the designers, to the institutions, when all the royalties are settled, it will become a commercially made in Nigerian machine. By next year you will see this things being sold in Nigeria. It will be brought to all our villages so they will have a facility that will provide them with cold water, facility to keep their fish, meat etc."

Housewives speak

When NEXT sampled the opinion of some housewives on the introduction of this new technology, it was received with mixed reactions. Lovina Okoh noted that the kerosene refrigerator may still not be useful for the poor because the poorest of the poor do not have access to Kerosene. "They are not serious. Kerosene is not even available. How will they power it?"

But Eunice Enemchukwu differed, saying that more people can now have access to cold drinks as well as preserve their food items especially in the dry season.

She believes it is a good development as more rural women will be empowered economically. "They will not be spending a lot of money on ice blocks to cool their soft drinks and packed water. If this is eventually introduced, it will bring great relief to them."

Monica Etim, a school teacher in Yangoji, Abuja on her part said they have not seen a flash of electricity in the area since the past two months and cannot but receive it with great joy. "We need it," she said.