Nigeria to ban importation of locally made goods

hABUJA - The Federal Government will soon
ban the importation of goods being produced
in Nigeria to reposition the manufacturing
sector, Dr Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of
Trade and Investment, has said.
According to him, this is part of a deliberate policy
to protect local industries, boost their productivity
and create more job opportunities for Nigerians.
Aganga disclosed this on Tuesday during his facility
visit to Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Plant and
Innoson Industrial Plastic Plant in Enugu and
Anambra, respectively.
He said that the new initiative was part of the
National Industrial Revolution Plan of the Federal
Ministry of Trade and Investment.
Aganga said that it was aimed at repositioning the
manufacturing sector in line with President
Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.
“As a country, we have a large market comprising
167 million people. We are the gateway to ECOWAS,
which are about 300 million people.
“What this means is that local patronage is very
important to us as a country, because we must take
advantage of our large market to drive our
Industrial Revolution Plan.
“In fact, local patronage is key to President
Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda because it will
help us to increase the productivity of our local
companies; reduce foreign exchange spent on
importation of goods from other countries and
create more jobs for our people.
“Already, the president has directed us to compile
the list of goods produced by Nigerian companies so
that we will not have reasons to import those things
into the country.
“We are going to do the same thing in the states by
adopting the same policy.
“I have already met with the Chairman of Nnewi
Chamber of Commerce and Industry over this
matter and they will submit their list to me within
the next one week.
“Also, the Anambra State governor is doing the
same thing as well as the Manufacturers
Association of Nigeria’’
He said that once the process was completed,
“nobody would be allowed to import those things
we produce into the country, especially those items
that we have comparative and competitive
advantage.’’
The minister also disclosed that the Federal
Government was planning to review the country’s
public system to give more opportunities to
Nigerian companies in line with his ministry’s
Industrial Revolution Plan.
The minister said that Nigeria like other countries
across the world would have preferential treatment
for goods produced in the country.
Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra, while receiving the
minister, said that the state government would
partner with the Ministry of Trade and Investment to
provide conducive environment to fast-track
industrialisation in the state.
“Anambra has the highest concentration of
industries in Nigeria. So, we will work together with
the Ministry of Trade and Investment to provide the
conducive environment to support
industrialisation,” Obi said.
Dr Innocent Chukwuma, the Chairman, Innoson
Group of Companies, said during the facility tour,
that the desire to create jobs and make products
more affordable for Nigerians motivated him to set
up four manufacturing plants.
He said that the support he had so far received from
the Federal Government had helped his company to
expand his operations.
Chukwuma said that Innoson Group currently
employed 7,000 Nigerians, adding that it had plans
to employ additional 3,000 “when its new plant

comes on stream.”