Nigeria unveils industrialisation policy to boost jobs, value addition

By Taiye Olayemi

The Federal Government has launched the Nigerian Industrialisation Policy aimed at driving value addition, industrial growth, and employment creation across the country.

The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, who spoke at the soft launch of the policy, said the initiative marked a strategic step in translating Nigeria’s industrial potential into measurable productivity.

This was done on the sidelines of the launch of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Macroeconomic Outlook Report for 2026 on Thursday, in Lagos.

Enoh noted that the policy, approved and validated in 2025, reflected a coordinated approach to industrialisation, trade, and investment.

He said it also aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point national agenda, particularly Agenda Seven on diversification and industrialisation.

“Over the last year, discussions about industrialisation have become more public.

“This policy was shaped with industry, not for industry, to ensure that every Nigerian has a stake and that implementation is front and centre,” he said.

The minister highlighted that the policy was structured around six pillars, including competitive industrial production, value-chain deepening, import substitution, MSME-to-industry transition, trade competitiveness under the AfCFTA framework, and institutional governance.

“These pillars are designed to address Nigeria’s long-standing challenges, such as fragmented value chains, high import dependency, and limited manufacturing capacity,” he said.

According to Enoh, the industrial policy was aimed to achieve ambitious targets, including increasing manufacturing’s contribution to GDP to 20 per cent to 25 per cent by 2030.

He referred to the recent temporary ban on raw shea nut exports as an example of the need for structured value addition and regulatory clarity.

The minister emphasised the importance of translating policy into tangible outcomes.

“We did not produce a policy just to admire it. A small committee is already working on implementation, because what matters most is turning strategy into jobs, productivity, and employment,” he said.

Enoh also underscored Nigeria’s strategic importance within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasising the need for the country to harness its vast domestic market while guarding against becoming a dumping ground for imported goods.

He also assured stakeholders of government commitment to clear execution, measurable benchmarks, and synchronized coordination across ministries, including trade, investment, finance, energy, skills, and infrastructure.

“The formal launch of the policy is scheduled for next month, with President Tinubu invited to personally preside over the event.

“The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) are expected to collaborate closely to ensure wide stakeholder engagement and effective implementation.

“The question is no longer what the policy is. The question is how we deliver. Nigeria’s industrial future will not be built by chance, but by deliberate policy, disciplined execution, and collective resolve,” Enoh said. (NAN)