Business
MAN Tasks FG To Strictly Enforce Local Content Laws in Manufacturing Sector
By Ocheneyi Alli
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the Federal Government to ensure strict enforcement of local content laws in the manufacturing sector of the economy.
Otunba Francis Meshioye, the President of MAN, made the call during the 3rd Adeola Odutola Lecture / 51st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of MAN, with the theme “Setting the Agenda for Competitive Manufacturing under the AfCFTA: What Nigeria Needs to Do.”
Meshioye, observed that Nigeria has a low local content adoption and patronage of made in Nigeria products, and therefore, urged the government to ensure effective enforcement of local content and patronage regulations.
He said this can be achieved by strict enforcement of local content laws, giving incentives for local sourcing of raw materials, and innovation in the manufacturing sector.
He said that the government should also compel the public sector at all levels to , as a matter of national importance, step up their compliance with existing government directive on patronage of made-in-Nigeria products, including Executive Orders 003 and 005.
In addition he said the manufacturing sector is one of the sectors of the economy with wide sectoral interlinkages.
“However, the low level of development of auxiliary sectors is disentangling the manufacturing sector from the rest of the sectors.
This is more so in agriculture, iron and steel and mining sectors.
“This has resulted in a limited supply of raw materials and other input for the manufacturing sector,” he said .
Therefore, it is essential to encourage backward integration and sectoral linkages to promote a more sustainable manufacturing sector in Nigeria.” he advised.
At the event, the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, extended the Federal Government’s assurances of collaboration to the local manufacturers towards enhancing their competitiveness .
She said the current administration envisions industrial revitalisation and is committed to covering real aspects of industrialization from consumer credit, fiscal and monetary policy alignment and continuous engagement in delivering the presidential initiatives.
Represented by Dr. Rabiu Olowo, Director-General, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, the Minister said that to harness full benefits of the AfCFTA, ” we must deploy strategic interventions in the manufacturing sector to enhance competitive edge, seeing the manufacturing sector is the backbone of any economy.
Aganga urged the Federal Government to declare the Industrial sector a national priority sector and back it with plans, policies and money.
“To maximise the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA, there are four imperatives which are combined responsibility of government and manufacturing sector; robust public private partnership particularly in the area of research and development to enhance the strength of manufacturing, supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) with capacity and potential for exports and investment in infrastructure and technology.
“We also must enhance quality standards and performance and adhere to international quality standards.”
Likewise, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, a former minister of Industry , added that the continued flooding of the domestic market with cheaper and substandard products from China and elsewhere would derail the country’s plans to dominate AfCFTA as the largest market in the continent.
Aganga urged the Federal Government to declare the Industrial sector a national priority sector and back it with plans, policies and money.
The Former Minister pointed out that embracing competitive manufacturing under the AfCFTA is crucial for Nigeria’s economic growth and integration into the global market place.
“Nigeria may not be able to compete with China now, but by investing in infrastructure, innovation and skilled labour, while addressing trade barriers, the business environment and promoting market access, Nigeria can certainly position itself as the manufacturing hub in Africa.
“Let us work together and seize this historic opportunity and create a prosperous and vibrant manufacturing sector that will benefit Nigerians and contribute to the economic development of the African continent as whole,” he said.
Business
John Ternus is Apple’s incoming CEO
John Ternus, Apple’s longtime hardware boss, is taking over as CEO, becoming just the second leader since Steve Jobs departed in 2011, less than two months before he died from cancer.
• John Ternus / CNBC / Getty Images
Tim Cook’s 15-year tenure as Apple CEO comes to an end on Sept. 1, the company announced on Monday.
John Ternus, Apple’s longtime hardware boss, is taking over as CEO, becoming just the second leader since Steve Jobs departed in 2011, less than two months before he died from cancer.
CNBC reports that as Cook exits, Apple faces numerous challenges, including an intricate supply chain that’s complicated by geopolitical tensions and soaring prices for memory due to unprecedented demand from the AI buildout.
But for Ternus, perhaps the most critical aspect of his new job will be pushing the company deeper into AI, where it’s lagged many of its megacap peers.
It said that so far, Apple’s AI strategy has involved avoiding hefty capital expenditures while Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Metacommit to hundreds of billions of dollars a year in combined capex to fund new data centers and fill them with pricey AI chips.
Business
NCC, CBN launch telecom industry portal to track fraudulent phone lines
“This means banks and other financial institutions can determine whether a line is active, swapped, disconnected, or reassigned to another subscriber.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), have launched a portal that enables financial institutions to track fraudulent and suspicious phone lines across the country.
It is called the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) portal , aimed at providing financial institutions with real-time visibility into the status of phone numbers used for transactions.
“The portal aggregates data on churned or recycled lines and numbers flagged for suspicious activities.
“This means banks and other financial institutions can determine whether a line is active, swapped, disconnected, or reassigned to another subscriber,” said the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida.
Speaking during the MoU signing event, Maida said that the agreement provides a structured framework for cooperation in critical areas, including payment system integrity, fraud mitigation, digital inclusion, and consumer protection.
On his part, Governor of CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said the MoU would strengthen coordination on regulatory approvals, technical standards, and innovation initiatives, including sandbox testing.
He noted that the partnership aligns with the apex bank’s commitment to promoting a secure, resilient, and inclusive financial system.
Business
FG allocates Flour Mills’ Golden Sugar 300,000MT annual production target
Golden Sugar Company, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, currently cultivates about 6,600 hectares, producing about 20,000 metric tonnes of sugar yearly, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer of GSC, Boye Olusanya.
Photo: Director of Strategy and Stakeholder Relations at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Sadiq Usman (left); Head, Strategy and Performance Management at the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Ms. Edirin Akemu; Group Chief Executive Officer of Golden Sugar Company (GSC), Boye Olusanya; Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh; Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, NSDC, Kamar Bakrin and GSC General Manager, Anlo Du Pisani; during the Minister’s visit to the GSC Complex in Sunti, Niger state.
The Minister of State for Industry, John Owan Enoh, has urged the Golden Sugar Company (GSC) to expand its yearly production capacity to 300,000 metric tonnes by 2030.
Golden Sugar Company, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, currently cultivates about 6,600 hectares, producing about 20,000 metric tonnes of sugar yearly, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer of GSC, Boye Olusanya.
The Ninister, accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Kamar Bakrin, gave the charge when he visited the GSC Complex in Sunti, Niger state.
The Minister noted that the current local sugar production in the country is a long distance away from the 1.8 million metric tonnes that the country consumes yearly, adding that, the GSC must contribute 300,000 metric tonnes in the year 2030.
He commended the management of the company for the employment of about 4,500 workers, emphasising that the government’s requirement for gainful employment is itself achieved here.
Japan opens door to global arms market with overhaul of defence export rules
John Ternus is Apple’s incoming CEO
UK GMC confirms more than 4,600 Nigerian doctors migrate to UK in three years
Tech Expert, Zuckerberg trains with UFC champions, Adesanya, Alexander
Organ Trafficking: Ekweremadu bags 10 years in UK prison
SAINT OBI: Between his marriage and his death
-
Politics3 hours agoAPC pegs presidential ticket at N100 million, governorship N60 million
-
Politics14 hours agoChief Bode George Writes President Tinubu “Protect the democratic space, not shrink it”
-
Entertainment12 hours agoMy son wants me to re-marry – Tiwa Savage
-
Business3 days agoFG restricts paracetamol ,16 other products for local manufacturing
-
News2 hours ago536 blind candidates participate in 2026 UTME
-
Sports2 hours agoGovernor Adeleke Remodelling Osogbo Stadium to 15,000 Sitting Capacity
-
Politics14 hours agoGbenga Daniel shut out from Ogun East APC Meeting
-
Sports2 days agoFormer NFF chairman Ibrahim Galadima dies at 78