Home / Current Issue / Paper 1723867
Green Manufacturing Adoption and Sustainable Production Framework for Nigerian Industry
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Industrial and Production Engineering
DOI: 10.64388/ire1723867
Abstract
Green manufacturing is increasingly important to industrial competitiveness, environmental protection, and sustainable development in emerging economies. This article reports a mixed-methods assessment of green manufacturing adoption in six Nigerian manufacturing firms and proposes an integrated sustainable production framework for wider industry application. The study drew on 108 valid questionnaire responses from technical manufacturing personnel and six semi-structured interviews with senior managers across food and beverages, metals and engineering, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, building materials, plastics and packaging, and textiles and apparel. The findings show that awareness is higher than implementation: 74.1% of respondents were at least moderately familiar with green manufacturing, while only 5.6% reported full implementation. Material-use optimization, preventive maintenance, hazardous-waste disposal, and emissions monitoring were the most established practices. Renewable-energy use and energy-conservation training were the least implemented. Cost-reduction opportunity was the strongest adoption driver, followed by management commitment, government regulation, and employee health and safety. The most severe implementation constraints were high initial investment costs, limited financial resources, and inadequate technical expertise. Reported outcomes indicate that green manufacturing has generated positive environmental, social, and economic benefits, especially reduced waste generation, improved worker health and safety, improved corporate reputation, and lower operating costs. Building on these findings, the article advances a six-stage framework that integrates Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Management Systems, cleaner production, circular-economy practices, enabling finance and skills, and continuous performance monitoring. The framework is designed for phased implementation in Nigeria’s infrastructure- and capital-constrained manufacturing environment.
Keywords
green manufacturing; sustainable production; Nigeria; cleaner production; circular economy; life cycle assessment; environmental management systems; resource efficiency; industrial sustainability; sustainable development
How to cite this paper
@article{1723867,
author = {Ekerete Usak, Osita Obiukwu, Chukwunenye Okoronkwo, Olisaemeka Nwufo},
title = {Green Manufacturing Adoption and Sustainable Production Framework for Nigerian Industry},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {4},
pages = {5069-5085},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1723867.pdf},
abstract = {Green manufacturing is increasingly important to industrial competitiveness, environmental protection, and sustainable development in emerging economies. This article reports a mixed-methods assessment of green manufacturing adoption in six Nigerian manufacturing firms and proposes an integrated sustainable production framework for wider industry application. The study drew on 108 valid questionnaire responses from technical manufacturing personnel and six semi-structured interviews with senior managers across food and beverages, metals and engineering, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, building materials, plastics and packaging, and textiles and apparel. The findings show that awareness is higher than implementation: 74.1% of respondents were at least moderately familiar with green manufacturing, while only 5.6% reported full implementation. Material-use optimization, preventive maintenance, hazardous-waste disposal, and emissions monitoring were the most established practices. Renewable-energy use and energy-conservation training were the least implemented. Cost-reduction opportunity was the strongest adoption driver, followed by management commitment, government regulation, and employee health and safety. The most severe implementation constraints were high initial investment costs, limited financial resources, and inadequate technical expertise. Reported outcomes indicate that green manufacturing has generated positive environmental, social, and economic benefits, especially reduced waste generation, improved worker health and safety, improved corporate reputation, and lower operating costs. Building on these findings, the article advances a six-stage framework that integrates Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Management Systems, cleaner production, circular-economy practices, enabling finance and skills, and continuous performance monitoring. The framework is designed for phased implementation in Nigeria’s infrastructure- and capital-constrained manufacturing environment.},
keywords = {green manufacturing; sustainable production; Nigeria; cleaner production; circular economy; life cycle assessment; environmental management systems; resource efficiency; industrial sustainability; sustainable development},
month = {October},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/ire1723867}
}