PAMA advocates Patronage of Made-in-Africa Products Via Buy Africa, Build Africa

Pan-African Manufacturers Association (PAMA) led by Interim President, Engr Mansur Ahmed and Interim Co- Secretary, Segun Ajayi-Kadir mni has advocated to launch a continent-wide public awareness campaign for “Buy Made-in-Africa’’

PAMA stated that all relevant stakeholders, including governments, development institutions, and partners, should partner with PAMA — a continental advocacy body that promotes and protects the interests of African manufacturers — to launch a continent-wide public awareness campaign for “Buy Made-in-Africa’’ adding that this proposed initiative will foster a culture of indigenous patronage.

The Association mulled that African governments should assist industries, especially the Small and Medium Scale Industries (SMIs) to acquire necessary certifications that will boost consumer trust and increase local product acceptance.

“Many African countries lack clear industrial policies to bolster local production. The respective governments of such countries should collaborate with relevant development institutions and stakeholders to address the change and prioritize implementing policies that encourage local processing.

“Governments must fully exploit the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by harmonizing trade policies and reducing intra-African tariffs. This approach should focus on stimulating regional trade, lowering import dependency, and building a resilient industrial base that can drive value addition.

“Governments must deepen investment in critical infrastructure, including power supply, logistics, and broadband connectivity to reduce trade costs and improve supply chain efficiency. This will enable local manufacturers to compete more effectively by ensuring their products reach both domestic and regional markets swiftly and cost-effectively.

“Local manufacturers should be assisted to access international markets. This could include provisions for export training programs, participation in trade fairs, support for obtaining international quality certifications, and the creation of marketing platforms that showcase “Made in Africa” products globally.

“Governments should implement robust quality control measures and streamline regulatory frameworks to ensure that domestically produced goods meet international standards and also put in place regulatory oversight to improve product quality so that local manufacturers can boost consumer confidence and enhance the reputation of “Made in Africa” brands both at home and abroad,” the Association recommended.

On the part of the African manufacturers, the Association encouraged them to focus on producing high-quality, durable, and competitively priced goods that meet both local and international standards; deepen their brand identities, improve packaging, and adopt digital marketing strategies to enhance consumer perception and drive demand; as well as deepen their brand identities, improve packaging, and adopt digital marketing strategies to enhance consumer perception and drive demand.

Pan-African Manufacturers Association (PAMA) is the voice of manufacturers in Africa and is at the forefront of promoting Africa’s industrial transformation under the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Inspired by the visionary leaders and industrial experts at the 2018 Intra-African Trade Fair in Cairo, PAMA was established as a Continental Business Membership Organization (BMO). It is a Pan-African platform midwife and recognized by the African Union Commission as the representative of manufacturers on the continent.

The core goal is to represent, protect, and promote the interests of all manufacturers in African countries through coherent advocacy and partnership with key strategic stakeholders and players in the manufacturing sector.

PAMA is led by Interim President, Engr Mansur Ahmed and Interim Co- Secretary, Segun Ajayi-Kadir mni.