RismadarVoice Reporters
September 25, 2026
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the Federal Government to move the National Industrial Policy (NIP) 2025 from a policy document to measurable outcomes capable of strengthening Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and positioning the country as Africa’s industrial hub.
MAN President, Otunba Francis Meshioye, made the call ahead of the association’s 54th Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held from October 5 to 7, 2026, in Lagos.
The AGM, themed “Leveraging National Industrial Policy to Position Nigeria as Africa’s Industrial Hub,” is expected to examine how the policy can translate into stronger manufacturing capacity, increased investment, improved productivity and sustainable employment.
Meshioye said the success of the industrial policy should ultimately be judged by its impact on the competitiveness of factories, development of local supply chains and manufacturers’ access to both domestic and international markets.
He described manufacturing as a critical component of a resilient economy, noting that the sector creates employment, promotes innovation, strengthens domestic value chains and converts local resources into economic value.
The MAN president, however, said manufacturers could not drive sustainable industrial growth on their own, stressing the importance of effective institutions, policy consistency, adequate infrastructure and stronger collaboration between the government and private sector.
He identified high production and energy costs, limited access to affordable financing, infrastructure gaps, inflation, foreign exchange pressures and global economic uncertainties among the major challenges confronting manufacturers.
According to him, MAN has continued to advocate macroeconomic stability, improved infrastructure, affordable long-term financing, a stable foreign exchange regime and a predictable regulatory environment to support industrial growth.
On the NIP 2025, Meshioye said MAN actively participated in the stakeholder consultation process and welcomed the policy’s emphasis on industrialisation, indigenous entrepreneurship, value-chain development, infrastructure, energy, skills, technology and the integration of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
He, however, stressed that the effectiveness of the policy would depend largely on its implementation.
“A policy is ultimately as effective as its implementation,” Meshioye said, adding that the implementation process must produce measurable improvements in factory competitiveness, investment, productivity, employment and access to markets.
He said the forthcoming AGM would provide an opportunity for stakeholders to examine practical ways of translating the policy into tangible industrial outcomes and strengthening Nigeria’s position within the African manufacturing landscape.
