Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo has said that the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) was designed to boost industrialisation and promote manufacturing.
He said this at the just-concluded ninth Propak Exhibition and Conference in Lagos.
He noted that manufacturing plays a vital role in modern global economy as the demand for consumer goods is consistently on the rise.
According to him, countries who wish to remain relevant and maintain competitiveness must give the desired attention to the manufacturing sector as it has been described as the basis on which a nation’s economic efficiency is compared, ranked and determined.”
He added that industries thrive locally when they compete on a global platform urging stakeholders in the sector to team up with the government to ensure that Nigeria becomes a global player.
Adebayo, who gave the keynote address and was represented by the ministry’s Deputy Director, Mrs Olumuyiwa Ajayi-Ade, said the government was willing to support firms with friendly policies and programmes to move the sector forward.
Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said with the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), his organisation would be promoting competitiveness among industries.
Ajayi-Kadir, who described the exhibition’s theme “Technological Innovation in Machinery, Processing, and Smart Packaging for Increased Quality and Throughput” as apt and timely, said innovation is vital to growth and development.
He said MAN would collaborate with business promoters to boost the potential of the private sector. “MAN is committed to ensuring that manufacturers in Africa fully utilise the opportunities provided in the AfCFTA to promote intra-African trade,” he added.
Organisers if the Propak WA, Afrocet Montgomery Regional Director George Pearson said the exhibition had grown since inception in 2017, adding that over 220 brands from over 40 countries were participating at this year’s event, which ends today.
He noted that Propak provides a veritable medium for companies to showcase their products, services and technologies.
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