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Bimbola Oyesola,
Coleman Wires and Cables Industries Limited has called on Nigeria’s telecom stakeholders to make bold national investments that will bridge skill gaps and accelerate indigenous growth across the value chain.
Speaking at the Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Skill Gaps in the Telecom Value Chain, themed “Bridging the Telecom Value Chain Skill Gaps — Empowering Indigenous Talents for Industry Growth”, the company’s managing director and chief executive officer, Mr. George Onafowokan, urged both public and private sector players to invest courageously in local production.
He said becoming an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in Nigeria requires more than just financial capacity. It demands what he described as a mix of “bravery and boldness” to defy industry skepticism and focus on building indigenous capacity.
“First and foremost, the biggest issue is this: are you brave enough, or crazy enough, to invest?” he asked the audience. “To become an OEM manufacturer here means putting your money in the in-country production, not sitting in India or China and exporting to Nigeria.”
The Coleman boss explained that local manufacturing is not only feasible, but already happening, citing his company’s pioneering achievements.
According to him, in 2022, Coleman commissioned Nigeria’s first-ever fibre optic cable factory, with an annual capacity of 60,000 cable kilometres.
“By October 2025, the company is set to commission a second state-of-the-art plant in Shagamu, which will expand total production capacity to over 300,000 cable kilometres annually—making Coleman a regional powerhouse in telecom infrastructure manufacturing,” he said.
He highlighted Coleman’s strategic partnership with global giant Corning, emphasizing that the venture is fully Nigerian-owned despite being world-class in quality. “The fibres you buy from us is exactly the same as what you get from Corning anywhere else, only cheaper here,” he stressed.
However, Onafowokan lamented that despite Coleman’s capabilities, many Nigerian buyers still prefer imported cables. “It is a paradox we must overcome. If we do not patronize local manufacturers, we will keep stifling the very ecosystem we claim to be building,” he warned.
This year marks Coleman’s 50th anniversary, a milestone Onafowokan said reflects not just longevity but resilience in the face of enormous challenges. According to him, the company’s growth has been underpinned by continuous training, retraining, and human capacity development.
“At Coleman, training, retraining, and developing people has been the backbone of our growth,” he said. “We’ve deliberately invested in high technology products, positioning Nigeria as a hub for innovation and manufacturing.”
Currently, Coleman employs about 800 staff members, with fewer than 10 expatriates in its workforce, a testament he said to its commitment to nurturing local talent.
Almost 50% of the company’s cable products are not manufactured anywhere else in Africa, underscoring its pioneering edge.
Onafowokan also underscored the strategic role of cable manufacturing in Nigeria’s development agenda. “Our cables touch every sector, telecoms, power, housing, oil and gas, making us a vital part of national development,” he explained.
He insisted that deliberate in-country investments will not only address skill shortages, but also reduce Nigeria’s overdependence on imports, strengthen supply chains, and create jobs across the telecom ecosystem.
“Our vision is simple: we want to see Nigeria move from being just a consumer market to a genuine manufacturing hub,” Onafowokan declared. “The more we invest locally, the more we empower our people and secure the future of our telecom industry.”
As stakeholders deliberate on strategies to bridge skill gaps, Onafowokan maintained that Nigeria must invest in itself, or risk being left behind in the global race for telecom dominance.
