The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Federal Government to give the Nigeria First policy legal backing to protect local manufacturers and SMEs.
Speaking at the 2025 BusinessDay Manufacturing Conference in Lagos, MAN's Director General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said gazetting the policy with penalties for violations is key to driving real impact.
The policy, approved on May 5, 2025, mandates all government agencies to prioritise Nigerian-made products and services unless there's a clear reason to opt for foreign alternatives.
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Ajayi-Kadir warned that without firm legislation, the policy may fail like past Executive Orders 003 and 005, which lacked proper enforcement. He stressed that this is a make-or-break moment for Nigeria's local industries.
"If we fail to nurture our own, we will forever be at the mercy of others," he said, calling for continuous dialogue between government and manufacturers to make policies inclusive and practical.
This move could open doors for small businesses to benefit from government contracts and scale production locally.
