Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan 

Stakeholders in the manufacturing sector have expressed worry over the non-patronage of locally made products while calling for the empowering of local industries and positioning Nigeria’s manufacturing sector for global competitiveness.

The stakeholders which include government officials, industry leaders, manufacturers, trade associations, technology innovators, and policymakers, said this in Ibadan at a focus group meeting, organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), calling for accessible loans for small businesses, ease of registration with government agencies, product packaging, and the general perception of Made-in-Nigeria goods.

At the gathering, which served as a platform to examine the challenges facing Nigeria’s manufacturing sector, highlighting the immense opportunities available to local manufacturers in country, NASENI disclosed its ongoing efforts to drive innovation in the industrial sector, enhance local manufacturing capabilities, and encourage greater support for homegrown products.

The Overseeing Officer/Managing Director of NASENI Oyo State Office, Mr. Ahmed Hamzat, who outlined the agency’s 3-C agenda – Creation, Collaboration, and Commercialisation, said the engagement was to advance local manufacturing and boost the adoption of Made-in-Nigeria products.

He emphasised the agency’s commitment to policies and partnerships that foster self-reliance and technological growth, describing the gathering as a pivotal step toward promoting Nigerian-made goods. 

A Deputy Director in the Oyo State Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment, and Cooperatives, Mr. A. O. Williams, who represented the Permanent Secretary, reaffirmed the conmitment of the state government to creating an enabling environment for local manufacturers, highlighting the state’s strategic efforts in this regard, including capacity building, improving road networks, and ensuring better market accessibility.

While reiterating the importance of local manufacturing in economic growth, Williams referenced a quote from renowned Nigerian industrialist, Aliko Dangote, “An import-dependent economy is equivalent to importing poverty and exporting jobs.”

He further stressed that strengthening local industries is essential for creating sustainable jobs, enhancing technological innovation, and boosting Nigeria’s global competitiveness, lauding NASENI’s role in driving industrial development and urging manufacturers to take full advantage of available government initiatives, partnerships, and funding opportunities to scale

their operations.