MAN president, Meshioye advocates for innovation, increase local product patronage

• Urges FG to set aside a day on the national calendar as “Proudly Nigeria Day”

The President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Otunba Francis Meshioye OFR has declared that manufacturing in Nigeria has continued to innovate and improve in quality and product diversification, even in the face of daunting challenges.

Meshioye made this declaration in his welcome address at the opening ceremony of the 3-days made in Nigeria Exhibition as part of the activities marking the 52nd Annual General Meeting of MAN, held at Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, On October 22, 2024.

Meshioye commended the Special Guest of Honour, the Ag. Director General of the Bureau for Public Procurement, Mr. Olusegun Omotola, for honouring their invitation without any hesitation, noting that he is the nation’s set man for the professionalisation of the process of procurement that ensures Transparency Efficiency, Competition, Integrity and Value for Money to support National Growth and Development.

He said that the event heralds other activities marking our 52nd AGM, and the annual Made-in-Nigeria products exhibition is a veritable platform for showcasing the undeniable high quality and diversified products manufactured in Nigeria, being a major component of our campaign for patronage of made in Nigeria products.

“We have on display an array from products, from members operating in our 10 sectors and 70 sub-sectors, with remarkable resilience and creativity, we have grown stronger and better in quality products delivery for teeming population of Nigeria and the international community,” he said.

MAN president highlighted that in spite of the rather harsh operating environment and a skewed international market, manufacturers have continued to innovate and adapt, producing a wide range of goods, from textiles, cement, furniture, and food and beverage products to automobiles and petroleum, showcasing their diverse manufacturing potential and capabilities.

“Our gathering here is not only to discuss the state of our manufacturing but to celebrate the resilience of the Nigerian manufacturer,” he added.

As we step up on our journey to deepen industrialisation and contribute to the development of Nigeria, he said, we must never relent in our effort to draw meaningful inspiration from countries ahead of us, countries that have made deliberate efforts to promote their manufacturing to become what they are today.

“A good example is the Made-in-China (MIC 2025) government initiative. Made-in-China initiative is a 10-year comprehensive strategic plan by the Chinese government. The initiative focuses on intelligent manufacturing in 10 strategic sectors. The aim is to cut down China’s reliance on foreign technology imports, boost domestic manufacturing and enhance local product production for local and international markets. The target is to grow domestic content to 40% by 2020 and further to 70% by 2025 through incentives by the Chinese government. Today, China is a testament to the success story of countries with improved local content development,” MAN president said.

According to him, Nigeria has the potential to reenact this feat, adding that we only need to be intentional in our approach to accelerating the development of domestic production.

Meshioye stressed: “We must not forget that our governments have made efforts to strengthen the patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products. The promulgation of Executive Orders 003 and 005 affirms the government’s commitment to facilitating domestic production, as well as patronage of local products. However, the absence of effective implementation remains a major and unfortunate concern. We therefore call on all government ministries, departments, and agencies to fully comply with the Orders as further directed by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, a few months ago at the Nigerian Manufacturers Summit in the State House.”

He charged manufacturers to strive for improved patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products, adding that they must not let the quality and standards of what they produce slip to enable them to consistently win consumer trust.

MAN, he said, will continue to advocate for policies that promote increased patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products and the protection of the     industries, adding that together, they can create an economy where Made-in-Nigeria products are the preferred choice in Nigeria and sought after in the international market.

Meshioye reiterated the call he made about a year ago, that the Federal Government should set aside a day on the national calendar as “Proudly Nigeria Day” noting that on such a day, all Nigerian, including officials in the ministries, departments and agencies of government, would be mandated to dress in made-in-Nigeria outfits and prioritize the purchase of products that are made in Nigeria.

This, he said, will encourage the production and consumption of Nigerian products, and boost job creation and contribute to gross domestic products.

He affirmed MAN’s commitment to enhancing members’ delivery of high quality and competitive products adding that this is a matter of priority in the advocacy radar as they strategize towards a strong market penetration under the African Continental Free Trade Area and their outreach into the international markets.