President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Otunba Francis Meshioye, OFR, has urged the Federal Government to move swiftly from policy formulation to implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025, arguing that its success will depend on how effectively it improves the operating environment for manufacturers and expands Nigeria’s productive capacity. Meshioye made the call at a media briefing ahead of MAN’s 54th Annual General Meeting, scheduled to hold in Lagos.

The Federal Government formally launched the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 in February 2026 as a roadmap for repositioning the country’s industrial base, with production, competitiveness, value addition and job creation at the centre of the strategy. The policy identifies energy, infrastructure, finance, skills, trade and innovation as critical enablers of industrial development.

Against this backdrop, the MAN president said manufacturers now need to see the policy translate into concrete improvements across factories and supply chains rather than remain at the level of policy declarations.

For Meshioye, a stronger manufacturing base remains central to building a resilient Nigerian economy because the sector creates employment, stimulates innovation, develops local supply chains and converts the country’s raw materials and resources into economic value.

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He, however, pointed to the difficult operating conditions confronting manufacturers, including elevated production and energy expenses, restricted access to affordable financing, infrastructure shortcomings, inflation, foreign exchange pressures and other structural barriers.

Consequently, he maintained that Nigeria must deepen its domestic production capacity and reduce its exposure to disruptions arising from excessive dependence on imported inputs and external supply chains.

He said MAN had therefore continued to engage government agencies, regulators and other stakeholders on measures capable of improving the competitiveness and long-term sustainability of Nigerian manufacturing.

Among the association’s major areas of advocacy, he identified macroeconomic stability, reliable infrastructure, affordable long-term capital, greater foreign exchange stability and a regulatory environment that gives businesses sufficient certainty to plan and invest.

On taxation, Meshioye said the association had maintained dialogue with the Federal Government, working alongside the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria, to encourage greater clarity, consistency and legal certainty as the country’s tax framework evolves.

While acknowledging the importance of stronger tax administration and fiscal sustainability, he argued that tax reforms should also support investment, productive activity and the competitiveness of domestic enterprises.

Turning specifically to the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025, the MAN president described the document as an opportunity to give Nigeria’s industrial ambitions a more coordinated direction.

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He noted that the policy brings together several factors that determine whether industries can grow, compete and create jobs, including energy supply, infrastructure, access to finance, human capital, trade and technological innovation.

Nevertheless, Meshioye cautioned that implementation would determine whether the policy delivers meaningful change. He recalled that earlier industrial development initiatives had encountered difficulties because of weak execution, inconsistent policies and inadequate coordination among relevant institutions.

He therefore said implementation should produce visible results in the form of more competitive factories, deeper local supply chains, stronger investment flows, higher productivity, sustainable employment and expanded access to both Nigerian and international markets.

He reaffirmed MAN’s readiness to work with government and other stakeholders to ensure that industrial policy produces practical benefits for businesses and the wider economy.

Reinforcing the association’s central argument, Meshioye said Nigeria must build an economy anchored on production, value addition, innovation and competitiveness rather than excessive consumption.

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MAN Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, called on the media to intensify its watchdog function by scrutinising how government policies translate into actual improvements in the manufacturing environment.

Ajayi-Kadir said the media had remained an important partner to the manufacturing community for more than five decades by drawing attention to challenges within the sector and connecting the concerns of businesses with policymakers and the wider public.

He pointed specifically to power costs, foreign exchange, logistics and the broader policy environment as factors that can determine whether factories remain operational and competitive.

At the same time, he urged journalists to give greater attention to manufacturers’ investments, innovations and employment contributions rather than focusing exclusively on the difficulties confronting the sector.

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He encouraged the media to probe policy implementation, maintain accuracy and independence in reporting, and provide manufacturers with a fair platform to explain their experiences.

The manufacturing leaders described stronger factories, deeper local supply chains, increased investment, improved productivity, sustainable employment and wider access to domestic and export markets as key indicators by which implementation should be assessed.

According to him, the media’s watchdog role will become particularly important as government, manufacturers and other stakeholders seek to turn the industrial policy into measurable economic outcomes.

Ajayi-Kadir noted that the Nigerian manufacturing story remains an evolving one and urged journalists to continue documenting the realities of factories, businesses, workers and policymakers as the country seeks to strengthen its industrial base.

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