The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Federal Government to provide policy support and incentives to boost local paper manufacturing in Nigeria.

The Chairman, LCCI, Printing Publishing and Allied Group (PPA), Gabriel Okonkwo, stressed the urgent need for government intervention in the paper manufacturing sector to revive local production and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.

During a meeting with stakeholders at NIXIN Paper Mill, Okonkwo highlighted policy inconsistencies that have continued to undermine local manufacturers.

He condemned the current tariff regime, which imposes duties on plain paper imports but allows for the importation of printed materials duty-free.

“This unfair policy has created a lopsided competitive environment that favours foreign manufacturers over local producers.

“This has led to a situation where it’s cheaper to print books and other materials abroad and import them, rather than produce them locally,” he added.

As a result, a significant number of printing jobs are being outsourced to other countries, depriving our local industry of business opportunities.

If local manufacturers can provide high-quality paper at competitive prices, it would reduce our reliance on imports, conserve foreign exchange, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the economy,” Okonkwo said.

He pointed out that Nigeria’s large population, especially its student demographic, offers a massive market for paper products, calling on support for local paper manufacturers to produce at scale and competitive prices.

Reinforcing his call for increased confidence in local capacity, Okonkwo pointed to recent developments with the electoral body as a case in point. “INEC didn’t even believe we could produce ballot papers locally until recently.

It’s time we began to believe in and invest in our own,” Okonkwo stressed.

As part of NIXIN Paper Mill’s commitment to the nation’s self-sustenance, the paper mill is concentrated on increasing production capacity, improving product quality, and expanding its product line to meet the growing demands of the Nigerian market, thereby reducing the country’s dependence on foreign paper products and contributing to the growth of the local economy.

The Managing Director of NIXIN Paper Mill, Eric Wang, highlighted the potential of Nigeria’s paper industry, comparing it with his hometown in China, with a population of just 300,000, supporting a paper factory that consumes over 20,000 tons monthly.

In contrast, Nigeria, with a population exceeding 200 million, recorded only 70,000 to 75,000 tonnes per month, a figure he believes should be much higher given the country’s educational and commercial demands.

“We see that over 80 percent of Nigeria’s educational and printing materials are imported from Asia,” Wang stated.

Business Manager, NIXIN, Williams Sun, echoed that Nigeria significantly underutilized its local paper production capacity, with many orders still going to countries like India and China.

He emphasized the significant investment NIXIN has made of over $60 million and expressed frustration over the lack of returns, noting that one year into operations, the expected market response has yet to materialize.

Sun urged the government to support investors and take steps that will attract more players into the publishing and paper production space, which is critical for building a self-sufficient industry.

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UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Technology and Innovation Report 2025  has projected that Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to reach $4.8 trillion in market value by 2033.

Accordingly, the UN trade body urged: ” Countries should act now – by investing in digital infrastructure, building capabilities and strengthening AI governance – to harness the AI potential for sustainable development.”

In the report, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan underlined the importance of ensuring people are at the centre of AI development, calling for stronger international cooperation to “shift the focus from technology to people, enabling countries to co-create a global artificial intelligence framework”.

She said;” AI’s economic benefit is massive but must be shared, becoming a prominent force in digital transformation; noting that. however, access to AI infrastructure and expertise remains concentrated in a few economies.”

Just 100 firms, mainly in the US and China, account for 40% of global corporate research and development (R&D) spending. Leading tech giants, such as Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft, each have a market value of around $3 trillion, rivalling the gross domestic product of the whole African continent.

Market dominance, at both national and corporate levels, may widen technological divides, leaving many developing nations at risk of missing out on the benefits of AI.”

She emphasized that AI is reshaping jobs , and therefore, investment in skills is crucial”AI could impact 40% of jobs worldwide, offering productivity gains but also raising concerns about automation and job displacement.

The benefits of AI-driven automation often favour capital over labour, which could widen inequality and reduce the competitive advantage of low-cost labour in developing economies.

However, AI is not just about replacing jobs – it can also create new industries and empower workers.

Investing in reskilling, upskilling and workforce adaptation is essential to ensure AI enhances employment opportunities rather than eliminating them,” said Grynspan.

The Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has disbursed $50 billion for the execution of various projects in Nigeria in the last 19 years

The President of the bank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, made this known at the commissioning of the Afreximbank Africa Trade Centre, AATC, in Abuja, where he also reaffirmed the Bank’s vision to dismantle trade barriers and promote African market integration.

“Over the last decade alone, total disbursements into Nigeria amounted to about 50 billion US dollars, spreading across vital sectors of energy, infrastructural, manufacturing, healthcare, transport and financial services.

“Our support to the Nigerian financial services industry, amounting to 19 billion US dollars in the last decade, has helped to deepen and expand the sector and elevated their impact on the local economy,” he stated

Source: Sweetcrudereports