Industrial Policy: Success Will Be Judged By Functional Factories, Jobs, Exports — Tinubu

 

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared that the success of Nigeria’s new industrial drive will be measured by the number of factories operating across the country, jobs generated and export volumes, rather than policy documents produced.

The President made this known at the launch of the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja. He was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Tinubu described the policy as a strategic framework designed to rebuild Nigeria’s industrial base, boost productivity and place competitiveness and employment at the centre of economic planning.

He directed all ministries, departments and agencies to prioritise swift and coordinated implementation of the policy, stressing that industrialisation requires deliberate action and inter-agency alignment.

According to him, Nigeria’s industrial growth had been slowed over the years by weak value chains, high production costs, infrastructure deficits, inconsistent policies and poor synergy between government and industry players.

He said: “Industrialisation is not a wish; it is an action. It demands coherence across energy, trade, infrastructure, finance, skills and innovation. It also requires a strong partnership between government and the private sector.

“This administration will not measure success by the number of documents produced, but by factories that open daily, sustainable jobs created, and Nigerian products shipped to global markets.”

The President explained that the policy focuses on priority sectors where Nigeria has comparative and competitive advantages, promotes value chain development and encourages the transition from raw material exports to finished goods production.

He added that the framework integrates micro, small and medium enterprises into mainstream industrial growth, aligns infrastructure and energy planning with industrial needs, and strengthens skills, technology and innovation capacity.

Tinubu commended the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, for providing leadership in the development of the policy, as well as industry stakeholders and technical teams who contributed to its design.

In his remarks, Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, welcomed the policy, describing it as progressive and investment-friendly. He said local manufacturers are optimistic about the direction of reforms and expressed confidence in improved currency stability.

Dangote called for stronger protection for indigenous industries, noting that without safeguards, local manufacturing may struggle to compete.

The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, said the policy signals a forward-looking step toward inclusive economic growth, noting that it was developed through collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

Also speaking, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Francis Meshioye, pledged manufacturers’ support for effective implementation, particularly provisions promoting indigenous entrepreneurship and local production capacity.