The Federal Government says it will soon launch a nationwide campaign to promote locally made goods and services under a new policy tagged Nigeria First, as part of efforts to revive the country’s ailing manufacturing sector and reduce dependence on imports.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu disclosed this yesterday in Lagos at the fifth Adeola Odutola Lecture organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). The president was represented by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh.
Tinubu said the campaign is designed to encourage Nigerians to patronise locally produced goods that meet international standards, adding that preliminary studies by the government showed the initiative could expand the manufacturing sector by up to six percent and create more than 500,000 jobs within the next three years.
“No country achieves prosperity or dignity without producing what it can and exporting what it does best,” Tinubu said. “We are committed to reducing structural costs and enabling manufacturers to compete effectively both at home and abroad.”
He explained that the Nigeria First policy rests on six key pillars: reforms in federal procurement, quality and standards enforcement, export expansion, access to finance, energy and logistics, and skills development and input security.
The president urged manufacturers to maintain product quality and collaborate with government agencies by sharing data on production capacity and pricing to aid policy planning.
Speaking at the event, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, represented by former MAN president, Mansur Ahmed, said manufacturers expect the policy to serve as a lasting national framework for industrial development that would transcend political and economic changes.
Dangote called for the policy to be backed by legislation with enforcement mechanisms and incentives to support local suppliers and promote backward integration. He also urged the government to address infrastructure and energy challenges and improve access to finance to enhance competitiveness, especially under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The Nigeria First Policy represents a bold opportunity to industrialise sustainably,” Dangote said. “Its success depends on clear legislation, stable implementation, and strong coordination between government and industry.”
Also speaking, MAN President, Otunba Francis Meshioye, lauded the initiative but warned that effective implementation was crucial. He noted that Nigeria’s manufacturing sector still faces global economic headwinds and domestic policy challenges.
“If we do not intentionally support our own manufacturers, we will not be able to compete globally,” Meshioye said. “This policy is not just about industrial ambition; it is about national economic survival.”
