Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Ovan Enoh, has urged Nigeria to significantly reduce its dependence on imports and instead utilize its large population for productive industrial activity, warning that population size alone does not translate into economic growth.
Speaking at the 35th Economic Summit of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos State, on Saturday, the Minister said the success of the Federal Government’s Nigeria-First Policy depends on policy predictability, coordinated execution and strategic use of public procurement to encourage local manufacturing.
Newsmen report that President Bola Tinubu introduced a Nigeria-first policy by 2025 to give priority to Nigerian-made goods and services in government procurement.
“Nigeria does not need to import what we can produce. We can produce ourselves,” Owan said, adding that discussions were ongoing between his ministry and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to ensure effective implementation of the policy.
The engagement is focused on key sectors such as textiles and apparel, automotive manufacturing, medical equipment and furniture, he said, adding that the public procurement framework is being reviewed to promote local production.
According to the minister, government procurement remains a powerful but underutilized tool for industrial growth, as the government's anticipated demand can attract private investment and accelerate domestic value-chain development.
Citing examples of other countries, Owan said countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam have achieved industrial success not through the right infrastructure, but through predictability, competitiveness and the creation of focused value chains.
“Bangladesh became a global apparel leader because it created predictability and competitiveness. Vietnam followed a similar path and now exports electronics, apparel and machinery,” he said.
He further described the potential of Nigeria's market using the automotive sector, noting that government protection could encourage global manufacturers to set up local production plants.
“If you tell a company like Toyota that unless it sets up a plant in Nigeria, no government agency will buy its vehicles, it would make sense because the Nigerian market is important to them,” he said.
Owen said feedback from manufacturers across the country shows that businesses prioritize predictability over perfection.
“A producer told me, 'I don't need everything to be perfect; I just need things to be predictable.' This shows what businesses need to invest, expand and create jobs,” he said.
He argued that stable policies encourage innovation, investment, and industrial expansion, while uncertainty diverts resources away from development.
“Predictability is the foundation of competitiveness. Without it, businesses spend more time dealing with uncertainty than investing in growth,” the minister said.
Owan said the reforms of the current administration are aimed at shifting Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to a rules-based, production-oriented system built on stability and trust.
He warned that Nigeria's young population could become a burden if industrial capacity is not expanded to absorb labor and generate sustainable employment.
“A large population makes sense only if it is productive. Otherwise, it becomes a pressure, not a potential,” he said.
The minister said linking industrial policy with procurement reforms will help cut import dependence, strengthen domestic manufacturing and ensure that government spending supports local industries.
“We are aligning policy, procurement and production. This is how we convert demography into demand, demand into production and production into jobs,” he said.
He concluded by emphasizing that the reforms expected in 2026 should be translated into job creation, stronger industries, increased trade and deeper investment.
