The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) is planning a largest gathering of West African manufacturers in Lagos with a view to promoting new uses of inputs and unveiling new manufacturing technologies.
Addressing journalists in Lagos, Mansur Ahmed, president of MAN, said the 5th Nigeria Manufacturing & Equipment (NME) Exhibition was collocated with Nigeria Raw Materials (NIRAM) Expo. The event starts on March 10 and ends on March 12, he said.
He said the event was part of a series to promote the manufacturing sector and enable real sector players to scale.
He noted that this year’s expo was special as it would go beyond equipment to widen the market and create stronger basis for manufacturers to scale and improve their efficiency.
He disclosed that the event was fully sponsored by MAN and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC).
On the upcoming African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ahmed explained that the platform would create a single market for Africa and a bigger market for locally-made goods in Nigeria, opening up opportunities for suppliers who would face a larger market.
“Many are importing raw materials outside Africa. This gives an opportunity for manufacturers to source these raw materials within Africa,” he said.
He said since most of the raw materials would likely be sourced with little or no duty under the AfCFTA treaty, it made a lot of sense for Nigerian manufacturers to exploit the opportunity.
He explained Nigerian manufacturers could also export raw materials to Africa.
“This year’s expo will be an opportunity to test the potential to expand and invest among African countries,” Ahmed noted.
“Along with the expo itself, we are looking at how to bring to our members the new manufacturing technologies,” he said.
“In the industry today, new technologies are changing things, creating new efficiencies that we were not aware of. There are processes in the manufacturing like 3D, robotics and many others which we expect manufacturers to see,” he disclosed.
He pointed out that it would be an opportunity to look at the role of women in the Nigerian manufacturing sector, stressing that the sector was no longer an exclusive preserve of men.
On the backward integration policy (BIP), which started during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed said the policy was gaining more traction among firms.
“There are tremendous efforts to expand the BIP in sugar, cement, tomato and many others,” he said.
Hussaini Doko Ibrahim, director-general, RMRDC, said the event demonstrated the importance of industrialising Nigeria.
Ibrahim, who was represented by Tokunbo Habeeb, Lagos coordinator of RMRDC, explained the NME and NIRAM expo now connected the entire manufacturing value chain, stressing that NIRAM expo was set up in 2012 to create a platform where manufacturers could access raw materials and current research within the industry.
He disclosed that through the research of the institute, manufacturers were now locally using commodities such as cassava, maize, limestone, phosphate, iron and steel, among others,in production and no longer imported much of them.
Ambrose Oruche, acting director-general of MAN, disclosed that the event would also be collocated with exhibitions from logistics firms, financial institutions and equipment suppliers.
“The interest of everyone is taken care of,” he said.
Chizoba Kalu Ogba, project manager of the event, said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would declare the event open on March 10.
She said there would be CEO forum, session on women entrepreneurs, including raffle draws.
Oranu Chris Chidume, chairman of MAN’s corporate affairs, urged Nigerians to come out in large numbers, stressing that the association was interested in making it a global event.
ODINAKA ANUDU
