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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), South East Zone, Lady Ada Chukwudozie has said that the South East Vision 2050 (SEV2050) offers a unique opportunity to build a production based economy in the geo-political zone.
Chukwudozie said the South East posseses the highest concentration of indigenous manufacturers, dense Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME) networks, and a strong diaspora capital base ready to invest, if the right structures were in place.
Nonetheless, she stated that “we must be honest: our industrial potential remains constrained by infrastructure gaps, high energy costs, weak logistics, limited access to long-term finance, and fragmented regional coordination”.
SEV2050, regional development framework designed to unlock inclusive growth, resilience, and shared prosperity for South East, is an initiative of South East Development Commission (SEDC), Ministry of Regional Development, and the Presidency.
The MAN chairman, who is also the Chairman of Keystone Bank Limited, stressed that, manufacturing was not about trading, but a long-term, capital-intensive, and productivity-driven. She noted that if Nigeria is to industrialise, then the South-East must industrialise, if Nigeria is to industrialise.
According to her, “SEV2050 therefore represents a defining opportunity to build a true production economy, anchored on industrial parks, agro-processing corridors, a regional energy backbone, SME clusters, and a skilled workforce.
‘This Vision should be delivered through state-anchored industrial clusters, leveraging Abia’s manufacturing depth, Anambra’s enterprise density, Enugu’s logistics and services hub potential, Ebonyi’s agro-processing strengths, and Imo’s emerging energy assets”.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, while launching the initiative, on Wednesday, had assured that the 25-year development blueprint, would boost the economic fortunes of the South East, Nigeria and Africa at large.
