By Merit Ibe
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has enjoined the Federal Government to boost the manufacturing sector to compete favourably in Africa, especially with the take-off of the African Continent Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA).
President of MAN, Mansur Ahmed, represented by Samuel Kolawole, vice president, South-West Zone, had at a sod-turning ceremony, noted that there was no way the economy can improve if the manufacturing sector does not improve; that is the real sector that can promote sustainable development in Nigeria.
“We hope that the government would continue to boost manufacturing in Nigeria to help us improve, especially with AFCFTA that had just taken off, so that we can compete favourably all across Africa. There is so much to be done to encourage manufacturing in Nigeria by providing an enabling environment as Nigerians are very industrious.”
Ahmed added that with an enabling environment provided by the government, Nigerians would realise their potential in the manufacturing sector.
“That would help in a lot of ways to improve the employment rate, foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria and improve the economy generally.
“This is because there is no way the economy can improve if the manufacturing sector does not improve; that is the real sector that can promote sustainable development in Nigeria.”
According to MAN president, Nigeria coming out of recession is a good development for the country and the economy. “It shows that there has been an improvement in the economy over the last quarter; it means that we expect that things would be a little bit better.”