Nigeria can position itself as Africa’s industrial hub if it moves from policy formulation to disciplined execution of its new industrial strategy, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has said.
Speaking at a media briefing for the association’s 54th Annual General Meeting, Francis Meshioye, MAN’s president, said manufacturing remains central to a resilient economy, but sustainable growth cannot rely on the resilience of manufacturers alone.
It requires quality institutions, consistent policy, critical infrastructure and effective collaboration between government and the private sector, he said.
The operating environment remains tough, he noted. High production and energy costs, limited access to affordable finance, infrastructure deficits, inflationary and exchange-rate pressures continue to constrain factories, while global disruptions have reinforced the need to strengthen domestic productive capacity and reduce dependence on external supply chains.
Against that backdrop, according to him, MAN has continued to press for macroeconomic stability, improved infrastructure, affordable long-term financing, a stable foreign exchange market and a predictable regulatory framework.
He noted that the manufacturing body has also engaged government on Nigeria’s evolving tax reforms, backing measures that improve administration and fiscal sustainability but urging clarity, consistency and legal certainty that support investment and competitiveness.
Meshioye said the core question is how to build a productive and competitive industrial economy capable of competing within Africa and globally.
He pointed to the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025, launched by the Federal Government in February 2026 as a roadmap to deepen domestic value chains and place production, competitiveness and job creation at the centre of economic strategy.
The policy seeks greater coordination across enablers such as energy, infrastructure, finance, skills, trade and innovation.
MAN participated in its stakeholder consultations and welcomed its emphasis on value-chain development, strategic sectors, MSME integration and alignment with regional market opportunities.
Nigeria has had industrial frameworks before, but implementation gaps, inconsistency and weak coordination limited impact, Meshioye said.
The challenge now is to translate the new framework into measurable gains: factories operating more competitively, stronger local supply chains, increased investment, higher productivity, sustainable jobs and greater access to domestic and export markets.
That implementation focus will anchor the 54th AGM, themed ‘Leveraging National Industrial Policy to Position Nigeria as Africa’s Industrial Hub,’ scheduled for Oct. 5-7 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island.
Nigeria has a large market, abundant resources, entrepreneurial capacity and significant human capital, and the opportunity is to harness those advantages through coherent policy, he said.
The three-day program will combine product showcase, policy dialogue and statutory governance. Day one will open with the Made in Nigeria Exhibition – MiNE 2026 – which will run through Oct. 7 and be open to the public.
The exhibition is designed to promote patronage of locally manufactured goods and connect producers with consumers, investors and government.
Day two will feature the public session, 6th Adeola Odutola Lecture and Presidential Luncheon.
Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, former UNIDO director-general, will be the distinguished guest speaker, leading a discussion on turning industrial policy into productive capacity and sustainable growth.
Senior government officials, diplomats, development partners and private sector leaders are expected.
Day three will be the private session for members, where MAN will present its annual report and audited accounts and elect officers and National Council members for 2026/2027.
It will be followed by a value-added session on ‘Bridging Industrial Skill Gaps with Smart and Additive Manufacturing: A Manufacturing Imperative,’ aimed at exposing manufacturers to emerging technologies and skills needed to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
Meshioye appealed to the media to give visibility to the AGM, lecture and exhibition, saying the press plays a key role in amplifying policy issues affecting manufacturers.
‘Nigeria cannot sustainably consume its way to prosperity. We must produce, add value, innovate and compete,’ he said, adding that MAN will continue to work with government and stakeholders to ensure industrial policy delivers tangible outcomes.