To facilitate the implementation of the country’s National Development Plan, the Nigerian Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is developing a strategic plan that would serve as a roadmap in increasing foreign investment and International trade in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Evelyn Ngige who stated this at a retreat explained that the Strategic plan will help to achieve the objectives of Government as streamlined in the National Development Plan.
Dr. Ngige said the Ministry strategic plan would ensure the collective objectives of the Ministry and its Parastatals are geared towards achieving objectives of the Government as streamlined in the National Development Plan.
She explained that the objective of the Retreat was to create a conducive platform for the top management of the Ministry and its Parastatals to discuss, brainstorm and provide input into the draft Strategic Plan of the Ministry for five years, from 2023 to 2027; and come up with strategies for achieving the set targets.
The Permanent Secretary said “as a Ministry, we have a crucial role to play in the economic development of our Country, through the Industry, Trade and Investment sector and we must ensure that our plans align with the current National Development Plan”.
She said the Ministry’s strategic plan would also promote inter-Agency-Department collaboration and synergies through joint programmes and activities that would foster efficiency in achieving sectoral mandates.
“The role of the Government will go beyond the normal provision of the enabling environment but also to include the qualitative participation of vital sectors of the economy that will open opportunities for the private sector to be a major engine of growth”, she stressed.
She maintained that the strategic plan would also among other things, address several subsisting development challenges in the country which include low and fragile economic growth, insecurity, weak institutions, insufficient public service delivery.
Also, qnotable infrastructure deficits, climate change and weak social indicators and would seek to invest massively in infrastructure, ensure macroeconomic stability, enhance the investment environment, improve on social indicators and living conditions.
She further emphasised that the strategic plan is designed to guide stakeholders in achieving the mandate of promoting economic growth and development in Nigeria through industrialisation, trade, and investment while calling on participants at the retreat to keenly employ their experiences and expertise on the draft strategic plan that would guarantee the achievement of the Ministry’s Vision.
Earlier, the Director Policy Planning Research and Statistics Department in the Ministry, Alhaji Babagana Alkali expressed optimism that the retreat which had in attendance Directors and Heads of Agencies of the Ministry would have a good understanding of the Strategic Plan and their respective roles in order to key into the plan in line with the mandate of the Industry, Trade and Investment Sector.
The Director stated that revalidation retreat would hold in the Southern and Northern zones for inputs from stakeholders before the final adoption of the Strategic Plan document.
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