The Federal Government is preparing to unveil a nationwide campaign to promote Made-in-Nigeria goods and services under the “Nigeria First” policy, aimed at revitalising the country’s manufacturing sector.
President Bola Tinubu disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos during the fifth Adeola Odutola Lecture organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
He was represented by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh.
Tinubu said the initiative seeks to redirect national demand toward locally produced goods that meet international quality standards, while also reducing dependence on imports.
He explained that preliminary findings indicated that the campaign could expand the manufacturing sector by up to six per cent and generate more than 500,000 jobs within three years.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the manufacturing industry through policies that promote local production, consumption, and exportation.
“No country achieves prosperity or dignity without producing what it can and exporting at scale what it does best. 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,” he said.
Tinubu further unveiled six major policy commitments under the “Nigeria First” strategy. These include reforms in federal procurement, enforcement of quality standards, expansion of export opportunities, improved access to finance, reliable energy and logistics, skills development, and input security.
He urged members of MAN to maintain high standards and transparency in production while collaborating with government agencies to provide accurate data on production capacity and pricing to support sound policy formulation.
Speaking at the event, the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, represented by former MAN President, Mr. Mansur Ahmed, outlined eight key expectations from the policy.
He emphasised that for the “Nigeria First” policy to be effective, it must be established as a long-term national industrial strategy capable of surviving political changes and economic challenges.
According to him, “The policy must be anchored on both global best practices and Nigeria’s own industrial realities.”
Dangote listed manufacturers’ expectations to include enacting the policy into law with penalties for non-compliance, ensuring stability and consistency in implementation, creating a national supplier registry, encouraging consumer engagement, and promoting backward integration.
He also urged the government to address infrastructure and energy challenges, improve access to finance for local suppliers, and leverage opportunities within the African Continental Free Trade Area to boost competitiveness.
“The Nigeria First Policy represents a bold opportunity to industrialise sustainably. Its success depends on clear legislation, institutional enforcement, stable policy implementation, and strong alignment across government agencies and industry. To transform the economy, the Nigeria First Policy must move beyond declarations into actionable, measurable outcomes that prioritise local value creation and national prosperity,” Dangote said.
He added, “Every nation is in a race to improve the living conditions of its citizens and we must realise that we are in this race, and it is a very competitive race. The government has done a few things that have given us a fighting chance. The Nigeria First policy, if embraced, will place us in a very competitive position.”
Meanwhile, MAN President, Otunba Francis Meshioye, commended the government’s efforts to reposition the economy through various reform initiatives, including the Nigeria First policy.
Meshioye noted that enacting and fully implementing the policy could greatly enhance the manufacturing sector’s growth and improve citizens’ welfare.
However, he pointed out the sector’s current struggles due to global challenges and domestic economic constraints.
He described the policy as not only an industrial goal but a necessity for national economic survival.
“If we do not intentionally support our own manufacturers, we will not be able to compete globally,” he said.
“MAN believe that the ‘Nigeria First’ policy is about building national resilience, creating jobs at home, saving foreign exchange, driving technological innovation, and giving Nigeria the productive foundation it needs to be competitive globally. To this end, effective legislation and implementation is key and must be carried out without any prevarication,” Meshioye added.
The PUNCH reported that the event, which also featured the Made-in-Nigeria Exhibition, took place from October 14 to 16.
