Nigeria’s National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has vowed to deepen its support for homegrown manufacturing and amplify the visibility of Nigerian-made goods. This pledge took center stage during the agency’s recent Focus Group Engagement in Lagos, where stakeholders across industries gathered to tackle obstacles and unlock opportunities in the nation’s industrial landscape.
Held at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Victoria Island, the event drew government representatives, industry titans, manufacturers, legal experts, and innovators. In his opening remarks, NASENI Lagos Office Overseeing Officer Babajide Sawyer emphasized the agency’s use of advanced technology to drive local production efficiency.
Professor Anthony Kila, Director General of the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), delivered a keynote address outlining six pillars critical to the success of Nigerian products. These include ramping up production capacity to meet consumer demand, maintaining globally competitive quality standards, balancing affordability with profitability, boosting public awareness through marketing, and forging strategic partnerships to expand market reach.
“Excellence isn’t instant—it’s built through deliberate, continuous improvement,” Kila asserted. “No groundbreaking invention started perfect. Our manufacturers must commit to refining their processes, products, and workforce to elevate ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ from a label to a mark of pride.” He urged industry players to adopt these principles to stimulate economic growth and global competitiveness.
A high-powered panel discussion moderated by Nduka Enweliku saw experts dissect policies to accelerate Nigeria’s industrial advancement. Participants included Oluchi Odimuko of the Manufacturers Association, NEXIM Bank’s Oke-Oghene Esin, UNIDO’s Ndirpaya Hyeladzira, and Chris Oputa of the National Association of Small Scale Industrialists. The dialogue centered on strategies to leverage local products as catalysts for technological innovation and sustainable economic development.
The forum concluded with a unified call for collaboration between government, private sector leaders, and innovators to transform Nigeria into a manufacturing powerhouse.