The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has urged governments at all levels to reinforce security and rehabilitate roads in order to promote business growth.
The President, Mr Francis Meshioye, made the call at the 18th Annual General Meeting of the association in Uyo on Tuesday.
Meshioye said that the movement of raw materials and finished goods around the country would be easier with the provision of adequate security and good roads.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the meeting is: “Buy Nigerian Products, Build Nigeria; A Path to Sustainable Industrial Growth.”
Represented by the Director-General, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Meshioye said that insecurity and poor road infrastructure had adversely affected businesses in the country.
According to him, the movement of raw materials and finished goods across the country has been so challenging and expensive.
The president also called for improved power supply in the country, saying, ” that small scale businesses are running at a loss due to high cost of electricity”
He said that it would be productive to hold quarterly interactive meetings between manufacturers and the government to address operational challenges and shape policies that drive industrial growth.
The MAN president reiterated the need for Nigerians to be patriotic by patronising homemade goods to grow the economy.
“By buying Nigerian-made goods, we are voting for jobs, innovation, and economic resilience. Our industries are ready to deliver quality products that meet global standards.
“We need to be deliberate in our support, patronage and patriotism. It is our duty to take steps towards growing the economy, ” he said.
In his remarks, Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, said that the state government had improved on the ease of doing business through its ‘one shop portal’
Represented by Mr Iniobong Ekong, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Eno said that with the one stop portal, the average time to obtain a business licence in the state had reduced from 45 days to seven days.
The Governor said that the State’s Industrial Policy 2024‑2029 offered a five-year tax holiday to new manufacturing enterprises, and a 50-per cent electricity tariffs reduction for energy‑intensive plants.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and competitive manufacturing sector that would contribute to nation’s GDP and enhance citizen’s welfare.
Earlier, Dr Inalegwu Adoga, the Chairman, Akwa Ibom/Cross River Branch of MAN, expressed concern over the issue of multiple taxation, describing it as huge challenge to the business community.
Adoga said that in line with the theme of the meeting, the branch had continued to champion the ideals of local patronage, local content advocacy and backward integration to build a stronger economy.
He said that the pathway to sustainable prosperity for the nation lied in collaborative, innovation driven and production based economy.
In a goodwill message, Mr Howard Usen, the South-South Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Agribusiness and Agro-Industry Development Initiative (NAADI), said that the future of Nigeria’s economy was intrinsically linked to a strong manufacturing sector.
Usen said that manufacturers were vital off-takers for agricultural produce, and could transform raw materials into value-added products for both domestic consumption and export.
He stated that MAN was fully committed to industrial growth, economic diversification, and the overall development of the country.
