The Nigerian government has reaffirmed its commitment to creating a level playing field for local manufacturers as part of efforts to enhance industrial production and economic growth.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Industrial Revolution Work Group (IRWG) in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Eno, emphasised the need to leverage Nigeria’s large population to drive industrial expansion.
According to the minister, fostering a competitive manufacturing environment will have a positive impact on production and industry, contributing to national economic development.
“But we have companies that are producing and cannot sell, not because they’re not producing quality goods, but because they are challenged by unfair competition.
“The industries are saying, Nigerian government, you need to stop the smuggling of goods into our country. Perhaps most of these goods are also substandard, but they are made to compete in the marketplace with goods that have been produced in-country amidst the challenges and the constraints.” The minister explained.”
Sen. Eno, while speaking on the automotive sector, stated that automobile companies that benefit from the country without adding value to it should be sanctioned.
According to him, “The volume of Toyota vehicles that are bought by the government and its agencies, in the course of my tour, I’ve gone to some auto assembly companies that are at least adding value. I’m waiting for what value Toyota is adding to Nigeria’s auto industry, and I think that to get the results that we expect to get, at some point, we need to be dramatic and make some dramatic decisions. Otherwise, things won’t change.”
Sen. Eno, who is also the chairman of the Industrial Revolution Work Group, said the forum is a war cabinet for industrial transformation.
He explained that the work group has the mandate to revive moribund industries, enhance industrial competitiveness, unlock export-led growth, invest in infrastructure and energy and embrace Innovation and industry.
The former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, said the Industrial Revolution Work Group (IRWG) is entrusted with the responsibility of identifying, analysing and rehabilitating industries that once contributed significantly to Nigeria’s GDP.
“This is not merely an economic necessity, but a patriotic duty; a revitalised textile sector, for instance, means jobs and jobs and jobs for thousands and thousands of Nigerians.”
“A functional steel industry means infrastructural development, a flourishing agro-processing industry means food security; the road map to reviving these industries must build on four fundamental pillars.
“The private sector must play a leading role in this journey, that is why the IRWG’s membership structure is so vital; it brings together the government as an enabler, the private sector as the engine of growth, and academia as the knowledge repository that fuels innovation and skills development.
“I urge industry leaders and captains of commerce to see this as more than just another initiative, but rather as a national imperative.”
Also, the Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, says the private sector and the public sector are working together under the Industrial Revolution Work Group to remove binding constraints that have limited the performance of the sector for a very long time.
“We will be revisiting past initiatives that were abandoned; we will be looking forward to working collaboratively with regulatory agencies and other aspects of government that are needed to grow our industry,“ he added.
Comments are closed.