- Minister John Owan Enoh emphasizes the need to promote Made-in-Nigeria goods, acknowledging shared responsibility for the country’s industrial challenges
- The newly launched Industrial Revolution Work Group aims to address pressing issues like energy crises and high-interest rates affecting manufacturing
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, has expressed concerns about the lack of promotion for Made-in-Nigeria goods, stating that everyone, including himself, shares in the responsibility.
Speaking at a meeting with the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) in Lagos, where an ‘Industrial Revolution Work Group’ was launched, the Minister emphasized the need for a dramatic shift to address the challenges plaguing the country’s industrial sector.
“Promotion of Made-in-Nigeria goods—we will be talking about it forever. We had Executive Orders 3 and 5 that should give us the impetus to push it, but are we doing so? Everybody is guilty. We’re all guilty, even inside this room. Even as I stand before you, I am guilty. But we need to push this,” he said.
During the session, key stakeholders in the manufacturing and industrial sectors highlighted pressing challenges, including energy crises, multiple taxes, foreign exchange instability, and high interest rates.
Enoh acknowledged the issues, describing them as familiar, but stressed the importance of strategic approaches to finding solutions, moving away from a “business as usual” mindset.
He announced the formation of the Industrial Revolution Work Group, a multi-stakeholder team co-chaired by himself and the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Francis Meshioye, to tackle these issues.
“This work group will serve as a ‘war team’ to confront the industrial sector’s challenges head-on,” he stated, likening the initiative to Israel’s wartime strategy teams.
The Minister also assured that the government would undertake legislative reviews and regulatory reforms to remove bottlenecks hindering industrial growth.
Earlier, MAN President and OPSN Chairman Francis Meshioye underscored the industrial sector’s pivotal role in economic development, technological advancement, and job creation.
However, he noted that challenges such as forex scarcity, energy crises, and limited loan access have stifled the sector’s performance.
“As a catalyst for sustainable economic growth, the industrial sector is a core enabler of economic development. Despite its potentials, inherent challenges have contributed to the sector’s lackluster performance over the years,” Meshioye remarked.
He expressed optimism that collaborative efforts between the government and private sector would yield solutions and place the industrial sector on a path to sustainable growth.
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