HISTORICAL BACKGROUND  

The conception of the Institute was in 1953, when the Word Bank sent an economic mission to Nigeria. One of the Missions’ observations was that industrial research in Nigeria was diffused, uncoordinated, and with no definite direction. Consequently, the mission recommended that an “Institute of Applied Technical Research” be set up. It was inaugurated in 1956 by the then Minister for Commerce and Industry. In February 1958, the name was changed to “Federal Institute of Industrial Research.”

Originally, its supervising Ministry was Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry, but since then, it has come under different supervising bodies, the current one being the Federal Ministry of Science and technology, since 1992.
At first, it had a succession of expatriates as its Directors and Chief Executives. However, it had, from 1970 to 1977, its first indigenous Director in the person of Dr. Isaac Adedayo Akinrele. He was succeeded in 1977, by Dr. Olajide Adedokun Koleoso, who left the stage in 1990 for Professor Sunday Ayodele Odunfa. Dr. Oluwole Olatunji, the incumbent Director-General/Chief Executive, took over from Professor Odunfa in the year 2000.

LOCATION
The Institute is located at Blind Centre Street, adjacent to NITEL Training School, by Cappa Bus stop Oshodi, off Agege Motor Road, Lagos.