Yemisi Izuora
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, has restated its commitment to improve on its development capacity targeting 20 per cent contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, by 2030.
President of the Association, Francis Meshioye, said to achieve this the MAN is being strategic in its engagement during this electioneering year to place its issues on the front burner.
Speaking at the 7th edition of the MAN Reporter of the Year Award and 2023 Presidential Media Luncheon, in Lagos on Tuesday, the President said, “We have engaged the Presidential aspirants on the importance of having a virile and competitive manufacturing sector.
“We have equally pushed at different fora with major political contenders to incorporate the need to accelerate the growth and development of the manufacturing sector in their economic agenda. In this regard, we have availed all the political parties with our Blueprint for the Accelerated Development of Manufacturing in Nigeria as well as the agenda for manufacturing in Nigeria for the next 10 years.”
Meshioye, recalled that over the years, the Association has highlighted the pain points of manufacturers in Nigeria, but has remained committed to its principal objective of advocating for a conducive environment where manufacturing business can thrive, so that it can create wealth and employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in the society.
He assured that during his tenure as President, with the support of the Secretariat, the Association will reinvigorate its advocacy focus to improve on evidence-based advocacy through proactive engagement with legislators, policymakers, regulators, and other stakeholders and also increase the output of the manufacturing sector and its contribution to GDP to 20% by 2030;
Meshioye, also promised to increase export of Nigerian manufactured products to other African Countries and beyond; promote manufacturing sector employment through capacity building, new technologies, and professional advisory services;promote inclusive inter-industry linkage between SMIs and large corporations by encouraging the development of industry value chains, industrial parks, and collaboration with academia; and extend MAN’s advocacy outreach at regional and continental levels through robust membership in and collaboration with relevant institutions.
The President has also planned to drive MAN’s effectiveness through continuous improvement of human resources, technology enablement, corporate governance, and financial viability; improve the quality of membership services by promoting a more conducive operating environment, improving the availability of public services, access to finance, providing information to members, and promoting patronage of made-in-Nigeria products; and ensure effective and timely dissemination of MAN’s views and positions to all arms of government, members, and the public through print, social and electronic media.
He said as partners on this advocacy journey, the Association has no doubt that the Media will support it to actualise these mandates.
“I must say that I was deeply impressed by the submission of the independent committee that reviewed the media entries for 2022. The feedback qualified the competition as keenly contested judging from the quality of the published and broadcasted works.
“However, their observation was that the number of submissions does not equate the population of media partners who equally gave the Association wide coverage and in-depth reportage. Hence, I would like to encourage those who do not submit entries to kindly do so this year. This will make the award a lot more competitive. Also, I will like to know if there is anything we can do to make participation more interesting or easier.”
