ABUJA, Nigeria: July 18 (Xinhua) — In a move intended to reposition the manufacturing sector, Nigeria is making the right moves to ban the importation of goods that are being produced locally, according to minister of trade and investment Olusegun Aganga.
Aganga said it is part of a deliberate policy to protect local industries, boost their productivity and create more job opportunities for Nigerians.
“The new initiative was part of the National Industrial Revolution Plan of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment and it is aimed at repositioning the manufacturing sector in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda,” he said.
The minister noted that as a nation, Nigeria has a large market comprising 167 million people and the country is the gateway to the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), which has about 300 million people.
“What this means, is that local patronage is very important to us as a country, because we must take advantage of our large market to drive our industrial revolution plan,” he explained.
According to the minister, local patronage was key to the present government’s transformation agenda because it will aid the productivity of local companies as well as reduce foreign exchange spent on importation of goods from other countries and create more jobs for the citizens.
“Already, the president has directed us to compile the list of goods produced by Nigerian companies so that we will not have reasons to import those things into the country,” Aganga disclosed, adding that same thing will also be encouraged at the state level so that they can be a harmonized policy throughout the country. (Xinhua)
