NME & NIRAM Expo: Manufacturers Task FG on Ease of Doing Business, New Industrial Policy
By Azeez Disu
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the federal government to resolve the constraints affecting the ease of doing business in the country and also come up with a new industrial policy to strengthen trade and manufacturing activities.
The President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, disclosed this at the 7th edition of the Nigerian Manufacturing Equipment Expo (NME) and the 9th edition of the Nigerian Raw Materials Expo (NIRAM) held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos recently with the theme, “Future Manufacturing: Building a Sustainable Roadmap to the Industrialization of Nigeria”.
Delivering his welcome address, Meshioye said all industrial and commercial businesses in the country still suffer from energy inadequacy and inefficiency among other challenges which is negatively affecting their operations.
According to him, “The vision of industrialized Nigeria would remain an illusion until we resolve the bidding constraints that affect the ease of doing business in the country. Honourable Minister (Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment), in going forward, Nigeria at this point in our economic development needs to establish synergy between our trade and industrial policies.
“It will be a great legacy if this is achieved during your tenure because industry and trade are under your portfolio, ” he stated.
On a different note, he said “Despite concerns that the continent lacks the requirements for global advancements to capitalise on innovative technological initiatives, African countries are uninhibited by infrastructure legacy challenges, thereby providing a higher degree of flexibility than their developed counterparts. Accordingly, Industry 4.0 remains a considerable opportunity for African manufacturers, ultimately giving the continent a cutting edge over the global economy.”
In another vein, the Project Manager, Strategy Implementation Task Unit(SITU)
at Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Sir Henry Chukwudi Eteama, while
delivering his presentation on the topic” The Future of Manufacturing and Strategies for Global Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development in Nigeria” said “There is an urgent need for Nigeria’s manufacturing industry space to accommodate the knowledge realm-especially the Universities, Polytechnics and R&D Institutions in a Strategic alliance for the mutual benefits of all stakeholders in the emerging knowledge economy.
“Special attention should be paid to national pharmaceutical security with progressive enhancement of domestic production of medicines/vaccines and deliberate policy of incremental reduction in excess importation of pharmaceutical products.”
He added that “Nigeria should imbibe the culture of quality services delivery in the health sectors and encourage domestic National Quality Infrastructure within the medicine/vaccine production/supply value-chains.
“Global Competitiveness imperatives should be the driving force in our manufacturing ecosystem in the pursuit of the 4th Industrial Revolution that is now at our doorstep.”
The annual expo, NME & NIRAM Expo, provides a common ground for large manufacturing organizations and SMEs to explore new production processes that will increase their production output.
Meshioye explained that “Both exhibitions have continued to serve a great purpose in improving the status of the nation’s manufacturing sector, particularly with the representation of the entire manufacturing value chain at the Expo Floor since inception in 2016. Through this annual event which provides a common ground for large manufacturing organizations and SMEs to explore new production processes that will increase their production output; MAN has taken the challenge of leading the manufacturing sector to play a vital role in the nation’s vision of becoming one of the leading industrialized economies in Africa.”