The legislation, according to him, holds the keys to accelerating the nation’s economic growth and creating sustainable employment opportunities.

Addressing manufacturers in Lagos at the 53rd Annual General Meeting, AGM, of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Dangote lauded the theme of this year’s gathering “Nigeria First: Prioritizing Made-in-Nigeria”, saying it was timely and a strategic call to action.

“The ‘Nigeria First’ Policy is not just a slogan but a call to action for sustained development and transformation led by our manufacturers,” Dangote stated.

“If implemented effectively, it can boost GDP, reduce import dependence, and generate jobs across the country,” Dangote charged.

He emphasised that the policy represented a transformative framework capable of propelling Nigeria toward industrial self-sufficiency and global competitiveness.

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Drawing parallels with global economic powerhouses such as China, India, and the United States, Dangote underscored the importance of adopting a locally tailored industrial policy to protect and promote domestic industries.

Despite Nigeria’s vast potential, Dangote expressed concern that manufacturing contributed less than 10 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, a figure that has stagnated for over a decade.

He attributed this to persistent structural challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, policy inconsistency, high energy costs, foreign exchange volatility, and limited access to finance.

To address these challenges, Dangote outlined some strategic priorities that manufacturers expected from the Nigeria First framework among which is: to legislate the “Nigeria First” Policy by enacting it into law with enforceable compliance mechanisms; Ensure Policy Stability and Long-Term Commitment – Avoiding policy reversals to foster investor confidence; Develop a National Supplier Registry–Creating a verified database of local manufacturers for government procurement; Drive Consumer Engagement and National Pride–Launch a robust “Buy Made in Nigeria” campaign and Incentivise Backward Integration-to support companies investing in local raw materials and Research and Development.

As part of the strategy, Dangote also urged the government to address Infrastructure and Energy Deficits by improving access to affordable power and efficient logistics; Enhance Access to Finance by lowering interest rates and expand funding for manufacturing enterprises and Leverage AfCFTA Opportunities by strengthening export capacity to boost regional competitiveness.

The industrialist also cited the collapse of Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry which employed over 500,000 people across 180 mills at its peak as a cautionary tale of the dangers of unchecked importation and weak policy support.

He stressed that the Nigeria First Policy must transcend political cycles and rhetoric to become a binding national strategy.

“Every nation is in a race to improve the living conditions of its citizens. The government has taken some steps that give us a fighting chance. The “Nigeria First” policy, if embraced, will place us in a very competitive position. Let’s act,” he urged.

The 53rd MAN AGM brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and development partners to chart a path for revitalizing Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and positioning it for long-term, inclusive growth.

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KAI Corps Marshal, Major Olatunbosun Cole (Rtd)., made this known during the enforcement operations on ban of Single Use Plastics which continued at Bolade market, Oshodi and Ojuwoye market in Oshodi on the second day of the operation.

According to him, the ban has come to stay in order to reduce plastics pollution and to proffer lasting solution to flooding across the metropolis.

He advised traders and end users to embrace the use of reusable plastics, saying that the enforcement campaign which had entered day two would be continuous and that it would get to all markets and stores across the state till the desired goals on the ban of SUPs were achieved.

“Today is the day 2 of the enforcement; yesterday we were at Alakoro Market in Lagos Island. This morning we have visited to Bolade Market at Oshodi and now we are at Ojuwoye market at Mushin. Traders should ensure they only sell plastics that are not less than 40 microns for the betterment of all,” he said.

He said the enforcement was carried out at Alakoro market, Lagos Island on the first day, pointing out that the SUPs that were carted away included plastic cutleries, straws, light weight nylons, disposable cups and plates which would be confiscated.

He recalled that the announcement of the ban on SUPs was first made in January 2024 when the ban on Styrofoam was made by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.

READ ALSO: Atiku, others in coalition are dislodged politicians -Oyedokun

He added that 18 months moratorium was given to producers to come up with alternatives before the commencement of  the enforcement  from 1st of July 2025.

He added that before the commencement of the enforcement, the state government had held series of meetings with concerned stakeholders which included Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Restaurants and Food Services Proprietors Association of Nigeria, RFSPAN, and Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, FBRA, representatives amongst others on the way forward.

According to him, prior to this time, traders/ manufacturers/ distributors have been given 18 months grace period to exhaust the stock of the products from the market and embrace alternatives.

All manufacturers and traders have been sensitized on several occasions as well.

He said the government advocacy team from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources continually visited various markets across the state for trader’s sensitization and enlightenment on the harmful environmental and health impacts of the products.

He stressed that the SUPs most times ended in oceans or lagoons, causing pollution and in the belly of aquatic animals which is very harmful to man.

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The Commissioner for the Environmental and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, who made the announcement during a press conference on commencement of the enforcement of the ban on Single Use Plastics held at the ministry’s conference room insisted that there would be no going back on the 1st of July 2025 set date for enforcement.

He stated that the state was very explicit on the ban of certain categories of single use plastics excluding pure water sachets and pet bottles as explained when the ban on styrofoam food containers was announced in January 2024.

He added that if after 18 months moratorium, the producers had not been able to embrace alternatives to single use plastics, it simply meant they had no intention of complying with the ban.

Wahab explained that by January 2025, after series of meetings and representations from concerned stakeholders which included Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Restaurants and Food Services Proprietors Association of Nigeria, RFSPAN, and Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance representatives (FBRA) amongst others, the state gave another grace of 6 months which expired yesterday.

He said the state government took the bold decision to ban styrofoam food containers and single use plastics of less than 40 microns explaining that the decision was majorly because of the safety and well being of residents which the government would never compromise.

“Lagos as a coastal state realises the enormous dangers that styrofoam packs & SUPs of less than 40 microns  cause our drainage channels and ecosystem causing blockades and compelling government to channel  funds that should be deployed for provision of other social services to clearing of debris from our drains,” he said.

He stated that the ban of single use plastics was first effected in Bangladesh in 2002 as well as in other major cities and as at 1st of August, 2019, such bans had been introduced in over 70 countries of the world with varying degrees of enforcement whilst 33 countries had imposed a charge per bag policy.

According to him, “For avoidance of doubt, the affected items and reasons for the ban include  styrofoam packs which was banned due to their harmful environmetal impacts.

“Plastic straws-prohibited to reduce plastic wastes and promote sustainablity. Disposable plastic cups and cutleries which was banned to minimize plastic pollution in the environment and light weight nylon bags,  banned due to its non-reusable  and non-bio degradable quality,” he added.

READ ALSO: Saint Lucia bestows highest national honour on Tinubu

The commissioner maintained that the government had not banned the production of all the categories of plastics as such the producers and distributors of the banned items in the Lagos State had the option of selling the banned items outside the state.

He said the Lagos State government was known to embrace best practices and would not shirk its responsibilities to its residents and had therefore joined the list of countries and states that had banned these category of plastics, for the good of all.

He added that the state did not intend to join issues with any group or association who were only selfishly interested in profiteering, stressing that no jobs would be lost  during the transition while more jobs would indeed be created when the producers decided to embrace the safe options which would also ensure a sustainable environment.

He emphasized that any market/store found storing or engaging in the sale and distribution of the single use plastics (less than 40 microns) would be sealed up, the items confiscated while the offenders would be punished according to the environmental laws of Lagos State.

“Let me state that Lagos State government has put in place different enforcement strategies to effect this ban. However these strategies will not be disclosed yet,” he added.

In attendance at the briefing included the Permanent Secretary Office of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji, and the Permanent Secretary Office of Drainage Services Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; Managing Director LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin; General Manager LASPARK, Mrs Adetoun Popoola and the General Manager LASEPA Dr. Tunde Ajayi.

Others are the KAI Marshal, Major Olatubosun Cole; General Manager LASWAMO, Engr Adefemi Afolabi; Managing Director LASAA, Prince Fatiu Akiolu; Executive Director Finance LAWMA, Mr Kunle Adebiyi as well as other Directors in the Ministry.

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The support the association said, would serve as an impetus for other investors to invest in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry in the country.

The president of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, who made the call after a tour of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Petrol Chemical Complex and Fertilizer Plant,  advocated that Nigerians and the government should do all they could to support the multi-billion-dollar company, which he described as a source of pride and a gift not only to Nigeria but also to the African continent and the whole world.

He described Dangote Refinery as a game-changer in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, saying that it was not only creating jobs and driving economic growth but also contributing to the nation’s energy security and self-sufficiency.

According to him, the project is quite inspiring, and he admired the inspiration of the promoter of the project, Aliko Dangote.

He said: “To have been inspired to establish this facility is very magnificent, it is the first ever in Africa and the first ever of such refinery in the whole world. It has many first, first and first.

“The company has the capacity to produce all our needs locally, petroleum, and other similar products: no one would come to the facility and would not be inspired or encouraged to ensure that all the support that the company required should be given to it.”

The MAN president said the government should do all that was humanly possible to ensure that the facility works optimally utilized.

“It is prudent and expedient that the necessary support are given to the company for the economic benefits of Nigeria,” he said, adding, “If the facility can produce 650,000 barrels of crude per day and Nigeria is producing far above this volume per day, she should give the facility all the crude it needed to produce.”

He said, apart from the fact that the facility could give Nigerians what they needed locally, the excess would be exported, and when they were exported, the country benefitted because it would earn foreign exchange for the government.

“So, whichever way we look at it, the facility requires the government’s support to be able to operate optimally.  We have seen the laboratory which is in a class of its own. It is first among equals around the world. It is functioning very well. It is a complex on its own.

“With this kind of facility that starts from quality control to quality assurance, just to ensure that the harmful effects of the products are at zero level, what can be greater than this?  This is very unique and I will encourage all stakeholders to give maximum support, and not by the way support, but maximum support.

“I cannot see anything that is lacking in this company, we have been here since morning and went through all the units. The facility can deliver products between 1760 trucks to 1800 trucks per day. So if you have such several trucks going out of the facility a day to various destinations in Nigeria, so many people will benefit from it. There will be more jobs, many families will be comfortable because of the jobs this will create, many artisans will benefit and it will have a spillover effect on so many sectors of the economy.

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“If they can produce AGO, gasoline and Jet A fuel, this is good and the government should have no reason not to ensure the facility gets its backing to carry out its activities, because it is going to benefit massively.”

The MAN boss who stated that his association was an advocacy group, said to a large extent it would support the Dangote Refinery by pushing its case with the government, and also solicit the support of necessary government agencies that could ensure that it operated fully.

The association, he said, always discussed with the government issues that affected its members and it had always listened to it, and always found solutions to those issues.

He stated further that Dangote Refinery’s case would not be different.

“The sheer scale and ambition of this project is truly impressive, and we applaud the vision and determination of the Dangote Group in making this refinery a reality,” he added.

“As manufacturers, we understand the importance of reliable and affordable energy in driving our businesses forward. The Dangote Refinery will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the entire manufacturing value chain, providing a reliable source of fuel and petrochemical products that are essential for capacity utilisation and value addition.

“I believe that the success of the Dangote Refinery serves as an inspiration to all of us in the manufacturing sector. It demonstrates what is possible when we combine innovation, technology, and investment to create world-class facilities that benefit the entire nation,” he said.

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In the picture at the forum are Member, Corporate Affairs Committee, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Sunday Aboriomoh; Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Gas, Ralph Gbobo; Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Oyo State, Temilolu Ashamu; General Manager, Shell Energy Nigeria, Markus Hector; Coordinator, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Niyi Olowookere.

READ ALSO: Boiling Point: Halt policies making life difficult, experts warn Tinubu

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Akpabio made the pledge on Wednesday when the Executive of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

The Senate President identified with the plight of the manufacturers as a result of the economic situation in the country and praised them for their resilience.

He explained to his guests the collaborative efforts of the National Assembly with the executive arm of government to turn things around particularly in the areas of security and economy.

Akpabio said: “We welcome any formal communications that you want to give to us to assist us to make your work easier, to legislate on issues that affect you, in order to ensure that you improve on what you are doing.

READ ALSO: Court remands 13 alleged killers of Kwara traditional ruler

“You don’t need to even mention the fact that the current power situation has adversely affected the manufacturers in the country. You don’t need to mention the fact that the inflation rate has affected you seriously.

“You don’t need to mention the fact that the fluctuating foreign exchange rate has affected you seriously. Then the issue of pricing comes in. When you have to manufacture at a very high cost, it means that the price to the consumers also has to increase. And then of course, with the low earning capacity of Nigerians, you may end up having products that are overpriced. That can also affect your expansion.

“So let me commend the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and by implications the Council members that in spite of the difficult times, you have managed to sustain this association.

“There is no need to overstate the fact that whatever this Senate or National Assembly as a whole can do to assist you, we will do so.

“We look forward to working closely with you, removing the bottlenecks and supporting you in order to make the industry flourish.

“Your coming here, seeking continuous partnership with the Senate, take it for granted that we have given you the partnership. I will work with my colleagues to ensure that we tinker with the laws. We will improve on the Acts.

“It is a very trying time but you have to bear with us. The situation we met on ground was not very palatable. But it is not for us to shout. My President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very determined to turn the situation around.

“On behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly as a whole, we assure you of our total support. You need to continue to do what you are doing to create employment opportunities for our people and also make products available for Nigerians at affordable cost and that involves also the issue of improvement in power, availability and right pricing for gas.”

Earlier, the President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, who led the delegation said the visit was to discuss the current state of the manufacturing sector and collaborate on identifying areas where legislative support was crucial for manufacturers to effectively fulfil their long standing roles in employment and wealth creation.

Otunba Meshioye, on behalf of MAN, pledged “our unwavering support for the Senate in its efforts at fostering the growth and development of this vital sector.”

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The jump in pump price of fuel and devaluation of naira in a bid to close the gap between the bank and parallel market rates meant higher transportation cost, higher food price and higher cost of doing business for small business owners.

There is no doubt that the people, most especially the poor,  are hard pressed and seeking succour from a president who promised them a better life during his electioneering campaign.

The pain, albeit uncomfortable, is only temporary; but necessary. From the President’s most recent national broadcast, one thing stands out, our beloved country, Nigeria, is simply in a catch-22 situation. The President must find the most pragmatic way to deal with the two ugly elephants in the room that have distorted our economy for decades, promoted humongous corruption via rent seeking and has kept the poor, even poorer.

We are all bearing the consequences of decades of distortions and mismanagement of the country and it certainly won’t be easy to turn the tides within few days and months for any government.

For over seven years, Nigeria has consistently held the appalling title of the poverty capital of the world, according to the World Bank, overtaking India with a population of about 1.5 billion people. Nigeria’s population is only a little over 200 million.

Nigeria has, in the last 40 years, progressively wasted trillions of naira that would have been better spent on social services, human capital development and critical economic infrastructure that should support productivity and growth to give citizens cheap fuel. The culmination of these has, no doubt, stunted the growth of the nation and its people.

We must deal with the albatross of continuously funding fuel subsidy, which only a small group of people benefit from at the expense of the larger populace, even when our country is teetering towards fiscal collapse.  Rational and economic logic and equity dictate that those trillions of naira be put to better use in the service of the people. It is highly imperative to re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and other productive ventures that will materially improve the lives of millions, as the President said in his inaugural speech.

Having seen the distortions fuel subsidy and preferential foreign exchange policy have caused for the country, I am persuaded that we must get out of this decades-long conundrum. From a fiscal standpoint, the consequences of retaining these policies longer than when it was finally removed by President are not pretty. The social and material condition of the poor masses that some ideologues pretend to be fighting against will get worse than it currently is if Nigeria sinks into a bottomless pit.

In pandering to popular sentiments, two major national newspapers in their recent editorial positions severely criticized President Tinubu for taking this less travelled road. Leaders before him only kicked the can around, in matters of fuel subsidy removal, without having the boldness and the courage to bite the bullet.

In a front page commentary on Monday, July 24, Daily Trust Newspaper called for the reversal of the subsidy removal because it is strangulating the poor masses.

The newspaper also accused the government of chaotic handling of the policy because all the issues around palliatives should have first been resolved. Daily Trust wants the Federal Government to keep the ruinous subsidy regime because of momentary inconvenience without regards to the fact that within two months of this removal, the country saved over ₦1 trillion which would now be better utilized to benefit the masses directly.

Toeing the same path with Daily Trust on same day, Punch Newspaper charged President Tinubu to change course before he “loses the plot” of his new administration. Punch Newspaper went further to berate him for executing the two policies on whims without undertaking “a critical assessment of the economy nor the implications of his hasty subsidy removal, and the unification of the naira exchange rates.”

What I found rather bizarre in the Punch Editorial was a quote credited to Mr. Francis Meshioye, President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, who reportedly said his members thought subsidy removal would only lead to a one-off price increase and not “a skyrocketing one.”

I am at a loss why a MAN President who was one of the strident advocates of free market economy and a major proponent of fuel subsidy removal and unification of multiple exchange rates think his prescriptions will only lead to one-off price increase. I am still struggling with that level of contradiction. It also didn’t matter to Daily Trust and The Punch Newspapers with their editorial stance that, in the past, they used their influential platforms to call for the removal of the subsidy, citing abuse and corruption.

The points of current pains on the people as canvassed by the two newspapers as a necessary fallout of the policy decisions of President are factual and can’t be argued against. However, the point must also be made that the benefits of these two decisions far outweigh the cost.

Fuel subsidy removal means that Nigeria will no longer lose over ₦4 billion daily on subsidised fuel that is smuggled to neigbouring countries. It does not make sense that a country that is struggling to provide universal basic education to her children and suffering from high maternal mortality rate spent ₦21 trillion subsidising fuel that added marginal value to the lives of millions of its poor inhabitants between 2005 and 2023.

READ ALSO: EXTRA: President Tinubu has good speechwriters

A recent report by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) shows that whereas ₦13.7 trillion was spent on subsidy between 2005 and 2021, ₦8 trillion was spent between 2022 and the first half of 2023 alone.

Nothing captures our sorry state of affairs more than the NEITI report which indicates the colossal sum that private individuals have taken away from our commonwealth on the back of payment for subsidy. The report shows that in 2005, starting year for the survey, ₦351 billion was spent on fuel subsidy payment while the figures for 2006-2010 were ₦257 billion, ₦272 billion, ₦631 billion, ₦469 billion and ₦667 billion. In 2011, which was an election year, spending spiked to a whopping ₦2.3 trillion.

For the years 2012-2017, spending on subsidy was ₦1.36 trillion; ₦1.32 trillion; ₦1.2 trillion, ₦654 billion, ₦240 billion and ₦154 billion. From 2018 to the first half of 2023 government spent ₦1.1 trillion; ₦508 billion; ₦864 billion ₦1.43 trillion, ₦4.4 trillion and ₦3.6 trillion. The NEITI report further reveals that spending on petroleum products by the five income groups in Nigeria, the richest 20 per cent consumes 75 per cent of petrol in the country while the poorest 20 per cent consumes just one per cent of the product. From the figures, it is obvious our poorest people are not getting any real benefit.

Removing the drain pipe is the best way to stop the bleeding. Individuals should not become so filthily wealthy at the expense of a nation to the point of being in a position to compromise all the institutions of state while the majority wallow in extreme poverty. President Tinubu was right in his Monday evening broadcast when he pointed out the danger of having few people who have amassed so much money to the extent of becoming “a serious threat to the fairness of national economy and the integrity of our democratic governance.”

At the moment, our country is at the epoch where the citizens must exercise some patience and cooperate with the President and his team to turn around the fortunes of the country.

With his boldness and decisiveness, President Tinubu ushered in a regime of deregulation. This will foster competition and transparency in the downstream sector, eliminate NNPCL importation monopoly, encourage investments in local refining capacity and expansion of downstream infrastructure that will create thousands of jobs. From the Central Bank records, 30% of foreign exchange demand in the past decades was for fuel importation. The removal of fuel subsidy is a good silver lining that will catalyze more investments in local refining. Already Dangote Refinery will soon come on stream and BUA Group is making a bet of over $8 billion on 200,000 barrel per day refinery in Akwa-Ibom that will be commissioned within the next 4 years. This is apart from existing modular refineries already in operation.

At the moment, our country is at the epoch where the citizens must exercise some patience and cooperate with the President and his team to turn around the fortunes of the country. We are all bearing the consequences of decades of distortions and mismanagement of the country and it certainly won’t be easy to turn the tides within few days and months for any government. The demand of this period is not needless posturing but that of concerted efforts and determination to revamp an economy that is tail spinning into a disaster.

As President Tinubu concluded in his speech, he is back at work to ensure that not only that a looming disaster will be averted but Nigerians will have cause to be happy with the new, inclusive economy based on prosperity for all that is his campaign promise.

*Ajayi is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity

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Urging Tinubu to kill the DISCO’s electricity price increase, OPC President, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, in a statement signed by its General-Secretary, Comrade Bunmi Fasehun, noted that the move had similarly been rejected by workers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and industrialists under the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN.

Afolabi noted that Nigerians were still grappling with the scrapping of fuel subsidy, and that increasing the cost of electricity would be adding to citizens’ burden and paint the Tinubu administration as uncaring.

He said DISCOs had already served notice to consumers to expect to pay higher electricity tariffs from July 1, which was deferred following the failure to secure the required permission of the government.

Furthermore, OPC pointed out that the power distributors would increase their earnings if they stopped incessant power cuts with their poor attitude to rendering services.

READ ALSO: Don’t blackmail Tinubu, OPC warns northern politicians

“Today, citizens are the ones buying their own poles, transformers, cables and prepaid meters. DISCOs have turned themselves into rent-takers and blackout distributors,” Afolabi lamented.

He declared: “We cannot continue this way.

“Especially, DISCOs should be told to supply prepaid meter free-of-charge, something they have refused to do so far because they enjoy sending crazy bills to customers who suffer darkness and power failure all the time.”

Rather, OPC advised the DISCOs to borrow the example of the telecommunications companies, TESCOS, that had reduced the cost that consumers paid for calls and data.

Reminding the companies that they had inherited the backbone and infrastructure of the old NEPA and PHCN for a small amount, Afolabi said that in comparison, TESCOS independently made colossal investments in laying underground, underwater and fibre-optic cables, antenna and electricity generators, and they were reaping the profits today.

OPC asked DISCOs to justify the hundreds of billions in public funds that past regimes had pumped into the sector, even when the distribution segment of the electricity value chain had been privatised.

According to the organisation, it had become clear that the DISCOs wanted to reap where they did not plant, because the generation and transmission companies were largely discharging their responsibilities while distribution remained problematic.

Afolabi said: “President Tinubu should tell distribution companies that if they cannot deliver with the current tariff, they should submit their licences and close shop.

“Moreover, the government should scrap this territorial monopoly, where only one DISCO has commandeered a service area and allows no competition. Consumers in any area should be able to choose and transfer to other DISCOs as currently obtains in telecommunications and in other countries. That will create competition and push DISCOs to render quality service in order not to lose customers to competing suppliers.”

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The president gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja when speaking during an advocacy visit of the leadership of MAN, in response to requests on making the manufacturing sector contribute more to the Nigerian economy.

The president told the Mansur Ahmed-led executives of MAN that the relevant ministry would revisit their concerns about the increase in excise duties on the identified products and other tariff-related matters.

On the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, the president said Nigeria would fast track the process of setting up the Designated Competent Authority that will superintend the administration of Rules of Origin and Commission as well as the automation for issuance of electronic Certificate of Origin.

He added that the federal government would also ensure that relevant structured platforms are established for monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the Ease of Doing Business and improved Government patronage of made in Nigeria products.

‘‘Our strategic plan to boost manufacturing activities in the country is on course.

‘‘We will continue to improve the patronage of locally made goods, bridge the gap between skills required by industry and those provided by our tertiary institutions and ensure seamless access to long term finance for our Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

‘‘We recognise that MAN remains a key stakeholder in this journey and we will continue our engagement with you,’’ he said.

Affirming his belief that a private sector led economy is the way to create jobs in the country, Buhari urged the leadership of MAN to continue to encourage manufacturers that government recognised the resilience of their members and other private sector organisations in promoting a virile manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

‘‘I beseech you to continue to support the government in our quest to provide the appropriate environment that will attract the necessary investment both domestic and foreign for the upliftment of the nation’s economy,’’ he said.

On the impact of COVID-19 on world economies, the president noted that while the pandemic had an adverse impact on the Nigerian economy with the attendant fluctuations in the price of oil, his administration had effectively contained the spread of the pandemic and other diseases.

He added that the federal government would continue to consistently deploy prudent means of judiciously utilising the limited revenue to sustain the economy and stimulate growth.

President Buhari also used the occasion to reemphasise that in spite of limited resources, his government had made appreciable progress in road and rail infrastructure development; provision of stimulus packages for the manufacturing sector; improvement in energy management and support for exporters with a view to improving the operating environment for businesses in Nigeria.

‘‘These projects are there for all to see.

“Furthermore, we are vigorously pursuing reforms on ease of doing business and currently putting in place other necessary policy measures and incentives that will guarantee full recovery from the consequences of COVID-19, sustain economic development and further shield the economy from the potential impact of fluctuations in the price of crude oil in the global market.

‘‘I have listened carefully to all the challenges enumerated by the President of MAN and would like to assure you that, like we have done in the recent past, we will give consideration to some of the constraints that are yet to be fully addressed, especially those that align with our policies and programmes for economic recovery and sustainable development.

‘‘Let me assure you that this Administration is fully aware that the survival of Nigeria lies in Agriculture and having a viable domestic Manufacturing sector.

‘‘I must emphasise here that when I say Agriculture, I also refer to Agro-Allied business which is the value-added component in the value chain.

‘‘A strong manufacturing sector creates more jobs and wealth for our people.

‘‘It will usher in sustainable economic prosperity because we will produce what we consume as a nation and generate foreign exchange by exporting surpluses and by import substitution,’’ he said.

In her remarks, the Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Katagum pledged that the Ministry would continue to work with MAN in the areas of policy, trade and creating an environment to facilitate the growth of businesses in Nigeria.

‘‘MAN is in business to create a climate of opinion in this country so that manufacturers can operate efficiently and profitably for the benefit of all,’’ she said.

Speaking at the event, the MAN president said the advocacy visit was largely motivated by two things: namely, to thank the president for all the support extended to the manufacturing sector since his assumption of office in 2015, and seek the urgent support of the federal government for the manufacturing sector to overcome the binding constraints to competitive manufacturing in Nigeria.

On the challenges facing the sector, the MAN president said the association had articulated remedial measures for the challenges in the Blueprint for Accelerated Development of Manufacturing in Nigeria, which would be formally presented to the president within the first quarter of 2022.

The MAN leadership, however, highlighted a few challenges that could be addressed in the immediate term in order to improve the manufacturing environment.

They include: inadequate supply of foreign exchange, inadequate electricity supply, poor access to long term fund, patronage of Made-in-Nigeria Goods and local content development, looming increases in tax rate, among others.

Ahmed also used the occasion to formally present the new logo and annual report of the association to President Buhari.

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Lawan made the statement when members of the executive committee of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

“I think the privatisation has not worked. It has failed because the essence of privatisation is to create efficiency,” Lawan told his guests who complained of the adverse effects of the sordid state of electricity supply in the country.

“It appears most of the companies, the DISCOs (Distribution Companies), have no sufficient capital and probably the same thing with the GENCOs (Generation Companies),” Lawan said.

The Senate President acknowledged the efforts of the government which, out of  desperation to create a better situation for the privatised sector, gave out so much money to the companies.

“I think the time has come for government to take a very drastic but necessary decision. If we have privatised the DISCOs and the GENCOs, I think, the private sector, those who have taken them over, should be able to make them work better than they were before.

“If they cannot, I think we need to revisit this privatisation because we cannot go on like that. We should look at the larger interest of Nigerians not of those companies that have taken over the power sector – the DISCOs and the GENCOs.

“We are going to support the executive arm of government… We will suggest that going forward we have to revisit the privatisation because apparently the companies are not able to provide the power that we thought they could by now,” Lawan said.

Lawan noted that the issue of power had remained one of the major challenges of the nation’s economy adding that “there is no way we can make any serious progress without adequate and steady power supply.”

On the complaint by MAN on the delay encountered in clearing goods at the nation’s seaports, the Senate President expressed his confidence that the federal government committee on Ease of Doing Business chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would address the issue.

The committee, he said had since its inception done a lot to normalize and restore efficiency at the ports.

He assured the association of the National Assembly’s readiness to partner with it for the growth and development of the nation’s economy.

“Feel free to always come to us when there is need for legislative intervention,” he said.

Earlier, MAN President, Engr. Mansur Ahmed, listed insecurity, poor power supply and delay in clearing goods as major challenges facing the members of the association.

The challenges, Ahmed said, had resulted into lack of competitiveness by the nation’s manufacturers.

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