The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) is set to explore affordable energy solutions, financing options and energy-efficient technologies to strengthen industrial productivity and competitiveness at its forthcoming 2026 Manufacturers Energy Security and Energy Efficiency Summit.
MAN President, Dr Ifeanyi Okoye, disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos on Monday, saying the summit would focus on reducing industrial energy costs, improving access to affordable gas and mobilising financing for alternative power solutions.
“High electricity tariffs, unreliable supply and dependence on expensive alternative energy sources have continued to undermine industrial productivity and the competitiveness of Nigerian manufacturers,” Okoye said.
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He explained that the summit would examine practical ways to help manufacturers manage energy expenditure, expand production, invest in technology and compete more effectively with counterparts across Africa.
The initiative would also explore ways to strengthen energy infrastructure, diversify industrial power sources and deepen public-private partnerships to promote sustainable manufacturing, the MAN president noted.
Figures previously reported by MAN showed that Nigerian manufacturers spent about N1.35 trillion on alternative power generation in 2025, compared with N1.11 trillion in 2024, underscoring the importance of developing more cost-effective energy options for industry.
The Chairman of Manufacturers Power Development Company Ltd. (MPDCL), John Aluya, said access to affordable financing remained essential to helping manufacturers adopt alternative energy solutions.
“Converting existing machinery to accommodate different energy sources requires substantial investment, while high borrowing costs and short repayment periods make such transitions difficult for many businesses,” Aluya stated.
He also highlighted the need for more favourable gas pricing to make gas-powered production economically viable for manufacturers.
Aluya called for improved accountability among electricity distribution companies, stressing that reliable power supply was important to helping manufacturers obtain value from their electricity expenditure.
The Acting Managing Director of MPDCL, Oweh Mba-Sam, said the summit would examine opportunities to install solar panels on factory rooftops, integrate battery storage and expand access to gas-powered systems.
“Combining solar power with battery storage could help manufacturers reduce dependence on diesel generators while maintaining production when sunlight is unavailable,” he said.
Mba-Sam explained that discussions would involve oil and gas companies, energy providers and financiers to explore ways to improve gas access, reduce costs and expand funding for industrial energy projects.
The summit would also consider how advances in battery technology and energy management could support more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing.
Other areas to be addressed include climate finance, carbon credits, decentralised electricity systems, net metering and emerging state-level electricity markets.
MAN Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said the summit would build on the association’s ongoing advocacy by bringing manufacturers, policymakers, energy providers and investors together to develop solutions to industrial energy challenges.
He said the engagement was also intended to attract investment in industrial energy infrastructure, facilitate access to technological solutions and support policies that would improve the manufacturing environment.
Ajayi-Kadir urged the Nigerian Government to ensure that electricity distribution companies met their service obligations, noting that some manufacturers paying Band A tariffs did not receive the expected level of electricity supply.
Under Nigeria’s service-based electricity tariff framework, Band A customers are entitled to a minimum of 20 hours of electricity supply daily, while Band B customers are entitled to at least 16 hours.
NAN
