Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday called for the prioritisation of local content and promotion of Made-in-Nigeria products.
Shettima made the call while declaring open a three-day National Manufacturing Policy Summit at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that Executive Order 003 which makes the patronage of locally manufactured products mandatory was still in effect.
“ Let us be reminded that we cannot achieve significant progress in our drive for industrialisation unless we deliberately promote the production of capital goods.
“ We must be focused on expanding our production base, prioritizing local content, and promoting made-in-Nigeria products.
“ I want to assure you that Executive Order No 003 – Support for Local Content in Public Procurement by the Federal Government, which mandates the patronage of locally manufactured products is still in effect.
“ The relevant government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are mandated to fully comply with the order,”’ Shettima said.
The vice-president emphasised that Nigeria has no better option than to support its indigenous firms to produce locally and increase their capabilities.
He said the summit offered the opportunity to re-evaluate the challenges confronting the sector and proffer solutions that would resolve them.
The vice-president said that a competitive manufacturing sector would reduce the inequities in the nation’s economy as well as over-dependence on imports.
Shettima added, “ Our proposal to minimize the economic imbalances in the nation is based on strengthening the production base of our economy, particularly in manufacturing.
“ Most of our setbacks as a nation, as each of you knows, are due to over-dependence on imports for even our basic necessities.
“ That is why we need you to address the various challenges facing the sector and ensure we have a competitive manufacturing sector.”
Shettima, who expressed satisfaction with what he saw during a tour of the exhibition, said he was convinced more than ever of Nigeria’s industrial capabilities, creativity, and innovation.
He stressed the role of manufacturing in driving the nation’s wealth, job creation, living standards, and revenue generation.
Shettima said, “ This explains why President Bola Tinubu is focused on accelerating infrastructure projects, including roads, ports and energy supply.
“It is essential to expedite the delivery of infrastructure projects that will enable the sector to leap forward and thrive.”
He identified five pillars of the summit, which he said are a clear road-map for stimulating the manufacturing sector.
The vice-president pointed out that it was imperative to enact meaningful change and develop industries by addressing critical issues under each of these pillars.
He said, “ These include up-scaling productivity and competitiveness, energy security and infrastructure development, improving the macroeconomic environment and ease of doing business, and promoting Made-in-Nigeria products.
“ And local content development, and leveraging regional and continental trade for export development.”
Shettima assured that the Federal government would join forces with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to come up with an actionable road-map and policy framework that would refurbish the nation’s manufacturing sector.
According to him, the road-map and policy framework would be speedily implemented to effect the needed changes that will revamp the sector.
He regretted that the sector, which has a crucial role to play in building a nation driven by production and abundance, had endured a series of setbacks over the past decades.
Shettima said, “ I implore us all to leverage this summit to develop an actionable roadmap and policy framework, ready for immediate implementation, to create the changes we want in the manufacturing sector.
“ I assure you that we shall always maintain an open-door policy to accommodate your needs and expectations.”
Earlier, the President of MAN, Otunba Meshioye, expressed gratitude to Tinubu, for the unique opportunity and his magnanimity to host the summit in the State House.
He said since the association opened communication with the office of the vice-president, they have been receiving tremendous support and collaboration from the Presidency.
Meshioye said the summit was organised to interrogate the evidence behind the constraints demeaning the performances of the industrial sector and to think and agree with the government on what to do to address them.
He said, “ The ultimate goal of the meeting is to reposition the sector on the path of accelerated growth, enhance its competitiveness and reap its multiplier effect on the economy and the wellbeing of the citizenry.
“ The prevailing microeconomic environment places severe strains on the manufacturing sector,” adding, “this is adversely affecting jobs and people’s livelihoods of the citizens.”