Business

Nigerian Govt’s Policies Force Manufacturers To lay off 3,567 Workers Within Six Months of 2023 – MAN

Published

3 years ago

September 26, 2023

OCHEFA

354 Views

▪︎Cover image: President Bola Tinubu

THE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) says that unfavourable policies of the government forced some of its member companies to laidoff a total of 3,567 workers in the first half of 2023.

This indicated, 855 more job lost when compared with the 1, 709 job lost in corresponding half of 2022 and 850 more jobs lost when compared with 2. 708 jobs lost in the last half of 2022.

Based on this, the Association is requesting the Federal Government to conduct a comprehensive economic impact assessment of the fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate changes, and other policy measures.

“This assessment should identify potential challenges and opportunities for the private sector and inform further adjustments to the policies if necessary,” said SegunAjayi-Kadir, the Director-General of MAN.

He pointed to the Association’s latest sectoral Employment Survey results (January to June 2023) and said, ” employment generation of the manufacturing sector declined to 6, 428 in the first half of 2023.

This is an indication of 32.8 percent reduction in employment generation capacity when compared with 9559 jobs generated in the first half of 2022.

Also, the data showed a shed of 313 jobs when compared with 6, 741 jobs created in the second half of 2022.

The decline in the number of jobs created in the sector during the period further highlighted the unfriendly business environment resulting from the hasty policies and residual effect of the currency redesign policy that led to naira crunch.

A Struggling Sector

Segun Ajayi-Kadir, noted that the manufacturing sector faced myriad of challenges in the first half of 2023.

He said that the residual effects of the Naira redesign and the removal of fuel subsidy towards the end of the period under review triggers inflationary pressure, cost of transportation, cost of production and other macroeconomics imbalances, thereby worsened the purchasing power of the households.

Unsold Inventory of Finished Products

Consequently, he disclosed that the inventory of unsold finished products in the manufacturing sector saw a significant increase to N271.96 billion during the first half of 2023, as compared to N187.08 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2022.

” This indicates a substantial rise of N84.88 billion or 45.4 percent over this timeframe.

However, there was an N11.64 billion or 4.1 percent decline when compared with the inventory value of N283.6 billion recorded in the second half of 2022.

This increase in inventory can be attributed to a weakened purchasing power of the consumers, brought about by diminishing real household income resulting from the ongoing escalation of inflationary pressures, compounded by the scarcity of naira in the first quarter of the year and the aftermath of the subsidy removal,” he said.

Related Topics:Manufacturing jobs in Nigeria

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Tony Elumelu’s United Capital Secures approval to operate in Ethiopia

Elumeu lauded the transformational Prime Minister of Ethiopia, His Excellency @AbiyAhmedAli , for promoting economic reforms and regional cooperation, the Director General of Ethiopian Capital Market Authority @CMAEthiopia , Ms. Hana Tehelku, and the team at @UnitedCap on this landmark achievement.

Published

5 hours ago

June 9, 2026

OCHEFA

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United Capital Group has again secured regulatory approvals to commence operations in Ethiopia.

Its Chairman, Tony Elumelu, broke the news on Tuesday, via his official X.

” This development is particularly noteworthy because Ethiopia only recently opened its financial sector to foreign participation, making United Capital’s entry a historic step for both the company and the ongoing integration of African capital markets,” said Elumelu.

Last month, United Capital commenced operations in Rwanda, marking its formal entry into East Africa and reinforcing its ambition to build a leading continental financial services institution.

The Group’s newly established entities include United Capital Trustees Rwanda Limited, licensed to provide trusteeship services, and United Capital Financial Services Rwanda Limited, licensed to offer investment management services, including portfolio management, investment advisory, capital mobilisation, capital market advisory, and fund management solutions.

With this development, United Capital now operates in 11 countries, including Nigeria, with a strong presence in key African markets, a recent expansion into the eight countries within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) region, alongside a growing footprint in East Africa.

According to Elumelu, African institutions are increasingly leading, competing, and succeeding across the continent.

For decades, Africa witnessed foreign capital flowing in while profits largely flowed out.

That narrative is beginning to change.

This is Africapitalism in action — a vision that recognizes the importance of both indigenous and international capital working together to finance Africa’s development and unlock shared prosperity.

Business

Lagos developing world – class new business district —Sanwo-Olu

Sanwo-Olu said Lagos was deliberately building a globally competitive economy driven by innovation, infrastructure and private-sector participation.

Published

8 hours ago

June 9, 2026

OCHEFA

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• Invest Lagos Summit 3.0: Secretary to the Lagos State Government, ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin (right); Member, House of Representatives, Kafilat Ogbara; Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Tunbosun Alake; Chairman, Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council (CWEIC), Lord Jonathan Marland; Vice President Kashim Shettima; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Mrs Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Sam Egube, Dr Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji and members of the State Executives Council at the opening of Invest Lagos 3.0, themed: “Lagos – The Business Gateway to Africa”, in Lagos, yesterday.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that as part of efforts to deepen access to global capital, his administration is developing the Lagos International Financial Centre (LIFC), envisioned as a world-class financial district that would strengthen the state’s position as a gateway for investment into Africa.

Speaking yesterday at the third edition of the Invest Lagos Summit, attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, other governors, foreign investors, development finance institutions and business leaders, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos was deliberately building a globally competitive economy driven by innovation, infrastructure and private-sector participation.

Sanwo-Olu said that the state had recorded significant economic progress in recent years through targeted reforms across transportation, digital infrastructure and industrial development.

Highlighting key infrastructure achievements, Sanwo-Olu cited investments in road networks, waterways and rail transportation, describing them as critical enablers of economic growth and investor confidence.

The governor noted that Lagos was increasingly serving as a gateway to African markets and global capital, positioning itself at the centre of continental trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

According to him, Lagos remains one of the continent’s most strategic economic hubs, with a population exceeding 25 million and a gross domestic product steadily approaching the $300 billion mark.