KEY POINTS
• Manufacturers want the Federal Government to translate the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 into measurable improvements in industrial performance.
• MAN says implementation should improve competitiveness, local supply chains, investment, productivity and access to domestic and export markets.
• The association will centre its 54th Annual General Meeting on using industrial policy to position Nigeria as an African industrial hub.
MAIN STORY
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has called for stronger implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025, saying the framework must translate into measurable improvements in the country’s productive capacity and manufacturing competitiveness.
The President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, made the position known ahead of the association’s 54th Annual General Meeting scheduled for Oct. 5 to 7 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Meshioye said the question facing Nigeria was no longer limited to managing the immediate pressures confronting manufacturers, but how to build an industrial economy capable of competing within Africa and the global marketplace.
The Federal Government formally launched the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 in February 2026 as a framework for strengthening the country’s industrial base, deepening domestic value chains and placing production, competitiveness and job creation at the centre of economic strategy.
The policy covers key conditions required for industrialisation, including energy, infrastructure, finance, skills, trade and innovation.
MAN participated in the stakeholder consultations that preceded the policy and provided manufacturers’ perspectives and practical experiences. The association welcomed the renewed emphasis on industrialisation and indigenous entrepreneurship but stressed that implementation should remain the priority.
Meshioye said Nigeria had previously introduced industrial development frameworks, but gaps in implementation, policy inconsistency and weak coordination had limited their impact.
For manufacturers, he said successful implementation should be evident in more competitive factories, stronger local supply chains, increased investment, higher productivity, sustainable employment and greater access to domestic and export markets.
The position comes as manufacturers continue to contend with high production and energy costs, limited access to affordable finance, infrastructure deficits, inflation and exchange rate pressures.
MAN has also been advocating for macroeconomic stability, improved infrastructure, affordable long term financing, a stable foreign exchange environment and predictable regulation.
On taxation, the association said it had continued discussions with government and other organised private sector groups over implementation of Nigeria’s evolving tax framework, with emphasis on clarity, consistency and legal certainty.
Meshioye said the association’s 54th AGM would therefore focus on how industrial policy could move from an aspiration to measurable industrial outcomes.
The theme of the AGM is “Leveraging National Industrial Policy to Position Nigeria as Africa’s Industrial Hub.”
He said Nigeria’s large market, natural resources, entrepreneurial capacity and human capital provided a foundation for building an economy that produces more of what it consumes, adds greater value to its resources and competes across African and global markets.
THE ISSUES
- The effectiveness of the industrial policy will depend on implementation across several areas rather than on the policy document alone. MAN identifies energy, infrastructure, finance, skills, trade and innovation as critical enablers of industrialisation.
- Manufacturers are seeking outcomes that can be measured at the factory and business level. These include stronger local supply chains, increased investment, improved productivity, sustainable jobs and greater access to markets.
- Policy consistency remains important because manufacturers make investment decisions over longer periods. MAN says previous industrial frameworks have been weakened by implementation gaps, policy inconsistency and poor coordination.
- Nigeria’s industrial competitiveness is also tied to its ability to participate more effectively in African value chains. MAN says the policy’s focus on domestic value addition and regional market opportunities could support that objective if implementation is effective.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Beyond responding to these immediate challenges, we must address a more fundamental question: How do we build an industrial economy that is productive, competitive and capable of positioning Nigeria strongly within Africa and the global marketplace?” – Francis Meshioye
“MAN was actively engaged in the stakeholder consultation process leading to the policy, providing the perspectives and practical experiences of manufacturers.” – Francis Meshioye
“But, ladies and gentlemen, a policy is ultimately as effective as its implementation.” – Francis Meshioye
WHAT’S NEXT
MAN’s 54th AGM will examine how the Nigeria Industrial Policy can be translated into practical industrial outcomes.
The three day programme will include the Made in Nigeria Exhibition, the 6th Adeola Odutola Lecture and a public policy session on the AGM theme. The association will also hold a session on bridging industrial skill gaps through smart and additive manufacturing.
BOTTOM LINE
MAN says Nigeria’s industrial policy will only deliver its intended impact if implementation improves the conditions under which manufacturers operate. The association’s AGM will focus on how the policy can translate into stronger production, value addition, competitiveness and jobs.
