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 and industrial base.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh, disclosed this on Thursday at the fifth Adeola Odutola Lecture organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos.
According to the President, the campaign is designed to “shift national demand towards Nigerian products that meet global standards,” while also addressing the country’s heavy dependence on imports.
He explained that preliminary studies conducted by the government indicated that a strong national drive for local production could increase manufacturing output by up to six per cent and create over 500,000 jobs within the next three years.
“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,” President Tinubu said. “We are committed to reducing structural costs and enabling our manufacturers to compete effectively both at home and abroad.”
The President further highlighted six key policy areas that will drive the Nigeria First agenda: federal procurement reforms, quality and standards enforcement, export expansion, access to finance, energy and logistics improvements, and skills development with input security.
He urged members of MAN to uphold transparency, product quality, and accurate data sharing with government agencies to aid effective policy planning and industrial reforms.
In his remarks, Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, commended the government’s renewed focus on industrial development but stressed that the Nigeria First policy must be made a legally binding national strategy.
“For the policy to work, it must be legislated as a durable, enforceable national strategy that can survive political transitions and market pressures,” Dangote said. “Its success depends on clear legislation, institutional enforcement, and policy stability.”
He listed eight key expectations of manufacturers from the policy, including ensuring consistency, creating a national supplier registry, driving consumer awareness, incentivising backward integration, and improving infrastructure and energy access.
Dangote also called for expanded access to finance to help local industries strengthen capacity and take advantage of regional trade opportunities within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The government has done a few things that have given us a fighting chance,” he added. “The Nigeria First policy, if embraced, will place us in a very competitive position globally.”
Also speaking at the event, MAN President Francis Meshioye praised the Tinubu administration for prioritising industrial development but urged sustained implementation.
“The full legislation and enforcement of the Nigeria First policy could significantly boost the fortunes of the manufacturing sector and improve the welfare of Nigerians,” Meshioye said.
He, however, cautioned that the sector still faces major challenges, including high production costs, weak infrastructure, and foreign exchange instability. According to him, the Nigeria First agenda should be seen “not just as an industrial policy but as a matter of national economic survival.”
