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Recession: MAN Offers Panacea For Growth
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has advised the Federal Government to reposition the manufacturing sector to improve on the current economic situation.
MAN President, Mr Frank Jacobs, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.
Jacobs was reacting to the recent statistics on inflation released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that put the rate of inflation in the country at 17.1 per cent in July.
According to Jacobs, “An inflation rate of 17.1 per cent, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics, is severely harmful to the economy.
“It is significantly responsible for the rolling contraction in Nigeria’s output since the first quarter of 2016 when the economy grew by -0.36 per cent and in the second quarter by -2.06 per cent.
“Over the period mentioned above, the cost of raw materials and manufacturing inputs had risen while capacity utilisation declined,” he said.
According to him, working capital in the sector has increased beyond the norm.
Jacobs said the aggregate consumption of household goods had fallen due to high inflation that had reduced significantly the real family income.
The president said issues like: unemployment, wealth creation and internally generated revenue would be tackled if government could reposition the industrial/manufacturing sector through viable policies.
“The diversification of the economy cannot be truly achieved if the manufacturing sector is neglected,” Jacobs added.
He urged government to implement its resource-based industrialisation and backward integration policies in developing key mineral resources.
Jacobs said this should include those with high inter-industry linkage such as: iron ore, zinc-led, bitumen, limestone and coal.
He said policies geared toward backward integration in the agricultural sector would serve as catalyst to the provision of food for Nigerians and industrial input for the manufacturing sector.
The MAN president explained that the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector should be pursued vigorously to encourage private investment in domestic refining and petrochemical industry.
Jacobs said the current special foreign exchange window created by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for importation of industrial raw-materials and machinery should be well managed and transparently too.
“At this period that the economy has gone into full recession, government must address the real issues that led to the inflation and adopt economic policies that will mitigate the situation.
“For instance, in the short term, funds should be made available to the manufacturing sector at five per cent interest rate.
“Also, the 41 items of raw materials that were excluded from the foreign exchange market by the CBN should be reviewed, especially, now that the country operates a flexible foreign exchange regime.’’
He advocated adequate and sound support infrastructure that would encourage more domestic production in terms of volume of output and cost effectiveness.
“Government can address the infrastructure gap by domiciling gas price in naira for manufacturing industries as against the current dollarization so as to boost electricity self-generation by industries.’’
He said the government should take a second look at the electricity privatisation as the current operators seemed to be confused and lacked the capacity to achieve the desired results.
“The infrastructure gap can be addressed by encouraging strong Public Private Partnership (PPP) in rail transportation and rehabilitation of existing roads and construction of new ones that would open up the country in terms of movement of goods.
“If these issues are sufficiently addressed, domestic commodity production will be boosted and this would lead to increased foreign commodity substitution.
“The result will be a gradual receding of inflation rate from the current 17.1 per cent to a desired level where the economy will be stable,’’ Jacobs said.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.