From Sola Ojo, Abuja
A Nigerian engineer and researcher, Reuben Kabantiyok, is gaining global recognition for pioneering materials science innovations in defence, clean water access, waste recycling, and medical devices using cutting-edge nanotechnology and advanced materials science.
Speaking with newsmen on Saturday, July 26, 2025, Kabantiyok, a metallurgical and materials engineer and PhD researcher at the University of Tulsa, USA, said his research aims at producing smarter, stronger, and more sustainable materials.
“My work focuses on enhancing the fatigue properties of a shape memory alloy called nickel-titanium (Nitinol), a smart alloy which could be tailored to Nigeria’s climate, terrain, and strategic needs.
“Many of our current materials aren’t built for local conditions. We must engineer with our terrain, climate, and people in mind,” he said.
Kabantiyok is also advocating the use of Nigeria’s abundant raw materials like brass, bauxite, and steel waste in local defence manufacturing.
He shared this vision with emerging local firms like Imperium Industries Nigeria Ltd, located in Kaduna, which is investing in defence-grade hardware built in Nigeria.
“Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), serving as a hub for the Military Industrial Complex, will benefit from indigenous private military base firms,” he noted.
In the water sector, “I consult for Schrödinger Technologie Nigeria, where I deploy nano-engineered filtration systems to underserved communities across northern Nigeria.
“Conventional water treatment methods are expensive and often impractical in remote areas. With nanotechnology, we can design low-cost systems that remove heavy metals, microbes, and chemical contaminants with minimal maintenance,” he explained.
He stressed further that agricultural and industrial waste could be turned into biodegradable structural materials.
His research transforms chicken feathers, snail shells, and palm kernel husks into eco-friendly composites for use in construction, packaging, and environmental remediation.
“Waste is everywhere in Nigeria. If we process it smartly, especially at the nanoscale, it becomes wealth,” he said.
In the health sector, Kabantiyok is enhancing the performance of Nitinol-based cardiovascular implants, such as stents and guidewires, intending to increase durability and reduce the need for repeated surgeries among heart patients in low-resource settings.
He urged the Nigerian government and institutions to establish low-cost nanomaterials laboratories in universities and polytechnics across the country, adding that, “We have the talent, we have the materials, and we have the problems worth solving.
“All we need is the commitment to build research systems that work for our context.”
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