ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has stated that the country can only attain an industrialised economy if the Federal Government fully implements the proposed new national industrial policy through the work of the Industrial Revolution Work Group (IRWG).
At a recent press briefing in Lagos, where he reviewed Nigeria’s industrial development, the President of MAN, Francis Meshioye, expressed confidence that industrialisation is achievable despite current challenges in the sector, particularly in manufacturing.
Although Nigeria’s industrial sector grew by 7.45 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, manufacturing growth slowed to 1.60 per cent, while its share of GDP declined to 7.81 per cent.
Meshioye, who also serves as Co-Chair of the IRWG, acknowledged that Nigeria has not yet achieved industrialised status since independence, but noted that collaborative efforts between government and manufacturers are laying a strong foundation for economic transformation.
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“We have not gotten to an industrialised country yet since our independence. But we are moving. The Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, is working hard on the manufacturing sector.
He is working with manufacturers, with ministries, departments and agencies. We are all collaborating. We have what is called the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Work Group,” he said.
The IRWG brings together private sector representatives, industry stakeholders, and government agencies for quarterly meetings aimed at revitalise the manufacturing sector, create more jobs, and drive sustainable economic growth.
One of its main objectives is to establish a new national industrial policy.
The Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, launched the group in February. Former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, described the IRWG as a revival of the 2014 Industrial Revolution Plan, which suffered from poor implementation.
Meshioye explained that the IRWG serves as a platform for dialogue between government ministries, departments, agencies, and the private sector to address structural issues hindering industrial growth.
“This Nigerian Industrial Rehabilitation Working Group encompasses many sectors and agencies of the government. Working as it does, it needs to look at the challenges and move forward,” he added.
MAN praised the IRWG’s role in spearheading the new policy. MAN’s Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, emphasized that Nigeria requires an industrial policy that “must contain all that is needed for the country to industrialise.”
Meshioye further stated:
“On another note, Nigeria’s industrial policy is being discussed, and this is what we are doing. So, in this process, if you go that way, and bring the sectors and the world together, we believe that implementation will be easier than in the past.”
Beyond accelerating policy implementation, the IRWG aims to strengthen sectoral linkages, boost local production, and reduce reliance on imports.
It also functions as a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure reforms in access to finance, infrastructure development, and regulatory harmonisation are effectively executed.
In September, Minister Enoh announced that the Draft National Industrial Policy was ready for revalidation, assuring that it would “serve as a framework to tackle challenges faced in industry, including energy insecurity, logistics issues, talent gaps, workforce development, and shifts in global supply chains.”