How Predictive Maintenance Could Save Nigeria’s Industries Billions—-Expert warns

By Tosin Clegg

Amid the recurring losses suffered by Nigeria’s industries due to frequent equipment breakdowns, a Nigerian engineering management expert, Godwin Uchechukwu Uke, has disclosed that predictive maintenance powered by data analytics is the game-changing solution the country must urgently adopt.

Uke, an award-winning terminal maintenance manager with over 12 years of experience in oil & gas, cement, and advanced manufacturing, warned that Nigeria’s current reactive maintenance culture—fixing equipment only after it fails—is costing companies billions of naira annually.

“Every unplanned shutdown is money lost, production delayed, and safety compromised,” Uke said. “If we continue to wait for machines to fail, we will keep bleeding resources. Predictive solutions are the way forward.”

Predictive maintenance relies on sensors, real-time monitoring, and data-driven analytics to detect potential faults before they escalate. By spotting early warning signs such as unusual vibrations, overheating, or pressure fluctuations, industries can intervene before total breakdowns occur.

Uke’s professional record backs up his claims. At Asharami Synergy Plc (Sahara Group), where he managed terminal operations from 2018 to 2023, he introduced preventive and predictive maintenance calendars that cut downtime by 30% and improved equipment reliability by 18%. His vendor negotiation strategy also slashed maintenance costs by 20%.

Earlier in his career at Dangote Cement Industries, Uke supervised maintenance for large-scale facilities, maintaining an impressive 95% uptime for critical infrastructure. By proactively scheduling 60% of maintenance activities, he reduced unexpected repair costs by 15%—savings that could scale into billions if replicated across Nigeria’s manufacturing and energy sectors.

The consequences of Nigeria’s reactive culture go beyond financial losses. Uke emphasized that equipment failures also increase safety risks, from fire outbreaks in terminals to industrial accidents in factories. Predictive systems, he argued, enhance both productivity and worker protection.

His advocacy is not limited to industry practice but also tied to his academic pursuit. Uke is completing a Master’s degree in Engineering and Industrial Management at the Catholic University of America, with a near-perfect GPA of 3.94. He combines this with global recognition, including the Vice Admiral Mel Williams Leadership Excellence Award (2024) for innovation in data-driven asset reliability.

As a certified member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Uke insists that Nigeria has the expertise to implement predictive systems but must overcome reluctance to invest in the required technology. “The upfront cost may seem high, but the long-term savings and efficiency gains make it non-negotiable,” he noted.

He also pointed to global trends, where companies in advanced economies now treat predictive maintenance as a standard practice, not an option. Nigerian firms, he argues, cannot remain stuck in outdated systems if they want to compete on the international stage.

The solution, Uke believes, lies in a mindset shift at the policy and executive level. He called on industry leaders and government regulators to prioritize predictive strategies in infrastructure, oil terminals, and manufacturing facilities, stressing that the future of Nigeria’s industrial economy depends on it.

“Predictive maintenance is not just about saving money,” Uke concluded. “It is about creating reliable industries, safer workplaces, and sustainable growth. If Nigeria adopts this approach, we will stop wasting billions and start building industries that last.”