By Chidimma Okwara,
The Federal Government has officially announced the forthcoming launch of a comprehensive national campaign to promote Made-in-Nigeria goods and services, an initiative positioned as a critical pillar of its “Nigeria First” policy.
The announcement was made by President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, at the 5th Adeola Odutola Lecture organized by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos. The campaign is designed to fundamentally shift national consumer preference toward local products that meet global quality standards, addressing the country’s high dependency on imports.
Strategic Objectives and Projected Impact
The “Nigeria First” policy is not merely a slogan but a detailed strategy to revitalize the manufacturing sector and build economic resilience. The government highlighted that preliminary economic studies project a major impact from the campaign:
The policy is anticipated to boost the manufacturing sector by up to six per cent.
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It aims to generate over 500,000 jobs within the next three years by stimulating increased local production and capacity utilization.
President Tinubu emphasized the administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for local industries. “No country achieves prosperity or dignity without producing what it can and exporting at scale what it does best,” the President stated. “Economics of resilience begins in the factory and thrives in the marketplace, and we are committed to reducing structural costs and enabling our manufacturers to compete effectively both at home and abroad.”
The government outlined six key policy commitments under the new strategy, including federal procurement reforms, rigorous quality and standards enforcement, expansion of export opportunities, improved access to finance, better energy and logistics infrastructure, and targeted skills development.
While the manufacturing sector welcomed the policy, industry leaders called for robust institutionalization to ensure its longevity and success.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, represented at the event, stressed that the policy must be enshrined as a “durable, binding national strategy for industrial development” that can withstand political transitions and market pressures. He advocated for a legislative amendment to the Public Procurement Act to enforce the “Nigeria First” policy, suggesting that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) should be mandated to allocate a minimum of 65 per cent of their annual procurement budgets to locally manufactured products.
The President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, acknowledged the tough realities facing manufacturers but affirmed that the ‘Nigeria First’ policy holds the potential to significantly boost the sector’s fortunes. He emphasized that for the policy to work, manufacturers must also commit to upholding quality and transparency in production.
This national campaign signals a clear policy direction aimed at fostering industrial self-reliance and achieving sustainable economic diversification, moving Nigeria closer to its goal of becoming a major manufacturing hub in Africa.
