Technological Capability of Local Fabricators in Fabrication of Equipment for Special Palm Oil in Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed some fabricators’ technical knowhow in the production or fabrication of machines used for the production of Special Palm Oil (SPO). The study also examined facilities possessed by the fabricators   with the aim to providing intervention that would abridge the widening demand gap between the demand and supply of SPO for domestic and industrial applications. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 98 fabricators as respondents across four geopolitical zones where palm oil is produced in Nigeria.  A well-structured questionnaire and an observant check list were used to collect data relevant to the objectives of the study from the respondents. The collected data were collated with Epidata application and analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics  such as  frequency distribution and mean were used to summarised the data while inferential statistics such as  Chi-Square  and  multiple regression were used to make deductions. Findings of the study showed that   majority  of the respondents were  within the age of  bracket of 40 and 49  and had West African Examination Certificate or its equivalent as major educational qualification./ Average income generated per year based on their primary occupation and other occupation were ₦300,000 and ₦275,,000  respectively. There was a great significant relationship between membership of organization and the information received at p = 0.05 probability level. Majority of the respondents said they learned the art of fabrication informally from someone. They had limited and dysfunction number pieces of equipment for bending, rolling and lathing, which hindered, the fabrication of machines involved in the production of special palm oil (SPO).