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…Laments delay in signing 2025 tariff policy guidelines
By Bimbola Oyesola
Ahead of its official golden anniversary in October, Coleman Wires & Cables Industries Limited has highlighted its remarkable journey, which saw it from a trading outfit in 1975 to a manufacturing giant putting Nigeria on a global map, as top producer of wires and cables. This even as it lamented the delay in signing the 2025 tariff policy guidelines.
Addressing a press conference as part of the company’s golden jubilee celebration in October 2025, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. George Onafowokan, reaffirmed its position as Nigeria’s foremost indigenous cable manufacturing company, celebrating 50 years of innovation, resilience, and contribution to national development.
“Our commitment to quality, innovation, and local content is unmatched in the West African region,” Onafowokan said. “We have consistently supported national infrastructure growth with world-class electrical and telecommunications cables.”
He announced the company’s expansion milestones, including the commissioning of West Africa’s first XLPE medium/high-voltage cable plant and fibre-optic facility, both located in Nigeria.
Coleman’s manufacturing capacity now includes 390,000 tonnes of copper, 108,000 tonnes of aluminium, and an expanding fibre optic output projected to reach 9 million fibre kilometres annually.
“Our Sagamu and Arepo plants are now among the largest in sub-Saharan Africa,” he added, noting that over 700 direct and 7,000 indirect jobs are currently supported by Coleman, with plans to triple this figure in two years.
Onafowokan also unveiled the company’s newly completed continuous casting smelter—the first in Nigeria—capable of producing 10,000 tonnes of copper and 3,000 tonnes of aluminium annually, with plans to double capacity.
Regulatory bottlenecks
Despite the firm’s achievements, he expressed concerns over regulatory bottlenecks, particularly the delay in signing the 2025 tariff policy guidelines.
“We missed out on the 2024 tariff measures. The last update was in 2023. We expect the President to sign the 2025 tariff guidelines this month. It is critical for the manufacturing sector,” he said.
He also called for gas pricing reforms, lamenting that manufacturers like Coleman, which operate embedded gas-powered power plants, pay as high as $8 per thousand cubic feet, while exporters pay far less.
“Power accounts for 40 to 60 percent of our production cost. We shouldn’t be penalised for investing in energy security,” he said. “It must be a level playing field.”
Coleman’s embedded 28MW gas power plant supplies energy across its production sites, enhancing efficiency and supporting logistics with over 40 new electric forklifts.
As Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun State Chapter, Onafowokan urged stronger implementation of local content policies and cross-border trade support under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“We are among the few family-run Nigerian companies with an ‘A’ rating from Agusto & Co and Global Credit Rate GCR. Our facilities meet international standards including ISO and CE certifications,” he added.
The company’s export footprint now includes Ghana, Niger, Togo, and Cameroon, with ambitions to meet over 50 percent of Africa’s cable and fibre optic demand.
“We want the market to know that Coleman does not cut corners. We are fighting counterfeits and protecting our standards. We actively support national projects in railway, transmission, real estate, and oil and gas,” Onafowokan stated.
He also celebrated Coleman’s recent recognition at the 2025 NOG Energy Week with the Nigerian Content Contribution Award and reaffirmed its commitment to social responsibility through education, youth empowerment, and technical training.
Future
On the future, he stated: “We are investing in renewable energy solutions, broadband infrastructure, and smart grid technologies. Coleman is here for the long game. Support Nigerian manufacturing—choose quality, choose Coleman.”
In the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Mr. George Onafowokan revealed that Coleman Wires and Cables has invested over one billion naira in road infrastructure within the Arepo community in Ogun State, where the company’s factory is located.
“Over 700 million in a Physiotherapy Centre at Ogun State Teaching Hospital, as well as the adoption of the primary school in Arepo and Iwalepe (Sagamu) where the factories are located”, he said.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to continue its positive impact on both the host community and Nigeria as a whole.
