The Nation Newspaper

Category: Industry

  • Plastics, rubber fair coming

    Trade Fair focussing on plastics and rubber products will hold in October, in Dusseldorf, Germany.

    At a briefing by Trade Fair Services Limited, the West African Regional representative of the organisers, said the event would hold  at the Messe Dusseldorf exhibition grounds to showcase the latest developments in the industry, and present the innovative paths that will shape the future to over 200 000 visitors.

    Every three years, exhibitors, trade visitors from all continents come together to deepen existing, or create new business relations with a view to stimulating development work in dialogue between suppliers and prospective customers, the fair managers, said.

    At a briefing in Lagos, the German representatives of the fair organisers, made a presentation on the benefits of investing in Germany and how the Visa and Consular sections are poised to assist in making attending the event this year from Nigeria, stress-free.

    About 3,000 exhibitors are expected.

  • FIIRO plans to enhance manufacturing sector

    The Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, (FIIRO), Dr Gloria Elemo, has said the focus on children nutritional products and needs would boost economic growth in Nigeria.

    Mrs Elemo, who spoke yesterday in Lagos, said the research and development of high nutrient density biscuits and drinks were meant to provide school-age children with one-third of their daily dietary needs.

    “Our target is school- age children between six and 12 years, and we need serious intervention in terms of attention for the project.

    “The goal is to bring about physical development, emotional well-being, as a total package to help the child at that stage,”she said.

    She described the institute’s research into the children’s biscuits as a necessary intervention, as they were not likely to have enough daily nutritional requirements.

    Mrs Elemo said:“We see the need for government intervention, to create a sort of nutrient, and it is in this area we need help to push the plan to reality.

    “It is important because the future of any nation resides in the youths, and the quality of the youths that comes out matters.

    “So, meeting one-third of the recommended dietary allowance for these children during school hours— and for the school feeding programme— is very critical.”

    She also said that the research work took into consideration factors like food safety and standards, because doing it on homegrown basis might not yield the expected results.

    The FIIRO chief said the project would be beneficial to the producers of these biscuits at the specification provided by the institute, in the area of employment generation.

    “This alone is a large business because it is not FIIRO that will be producing it; the state governments will also be part of the arrangement. It translates to business and employment,”she said.

    She reports that the House Committee on Science and Technology that visited FIIRO on July 8, 2013, was presented with the latest research development to increase food security.

  • SON reads riot act to importers

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has warned importers of fake and substandard goods that the agency is determined to push them out of their illegal business.

     Director General of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, gave this warning over the weekend while supervising the destruction of fake and substandard goods that include cables, tyres, electronics (decoders), house hold consumables, cigarettes, matches, super glue and other goods. He warned that the agency will not fail to deal with people who bring in fake and substandard goods into the country causing harm to the economy.

    The Director General who was represented by the Head of Enforcement and Compliance, Mr. Bede Obayi, said the goods were seized from unauthorised routes.

    Odumodu warned Nigerians and their foreign collaborators to desist from making the country a dumping ground for all manner of goods.

    He stressed that the zero tolerance campaign on substandard products in the country  is  the agency’s line of duty and conviction to clean up the country of substandard products.

    This is on the heels of the earlier warning by the agency on defaulters of its electronic registration policy for products which elapsed on July 1st that warned that electronic product in the market without electronic registration will be removed.”

    “We will not accept any product that has no product liability. From this year, once offenders are caught, we will make them face the camera and make them apologise to Nigerians. This exercise is to ensure product traceability and achieve standards, which will enhance productivity,” the SON Director-General, Dr. Joseph Ikem Odumodu, had said.

    Odumodu said that the essence of the exercise was to build a database of details on all the products in the market. “We need to have a link with the products by having all the details.”

    He stressed that following several months of the registration process, any product that failed to comply with the e-registration policy would be removed from the market, irrespective of its status or whether it had SON Conformity Assessment Programme certification or not.

    “We are setting up an electronic security system with electronic registration in connection with other agencies to alert us when products arrive. At present, we have improved collaborations with relevant authorities in order to achieve this objective,” he added.

  • 30,000 enterprises benefit from credit facilities in Kwara

    Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara said more than 30,000 micro as well as small and medium scale enterprises had benefited from its N250 million revolving credit scheme.

    The governor said this in Ilorin at the inauguration of the Kwara State Artisan Congress (KSAC), an umbrella body for all artisans in the state.

    Ahmed said another N100 million would be disbursed in the next few weeks with members of the artisan congress forming the bulk of beneficiaries.

    “The forthcoming N100 million intervention is part of our continuous efforts to boost the informal sector through entrepreneurship promotion, capacity building through training and the provision of affordable credit,’’ he said.

    The governor, who described artisans as major players in the economic development of the state, urged them to take advantage of the numerous business opportunities created by his administration.

    Ahmed noted that as a labour-friendly government, his administration was one of the first in the country to implement the national minimum wage.

    He also said that workers salaries, promotion and other incentives such as training had been regular.

    Earlier, the President of the association, Alhaji Abdullahi Lanky, had commended the state government for promoting the well-being of artisans.

    He described the formation of the association as a challenge for members to strive for excellence.

  • Grand Oak distributes tricycles

    Grand Oak Limited, has distributed Swagga branded tricycles to its distributors in Ibadan, Oyo State.The firm explained in a statement that  the action is part of its efforts to boost marketing and sales of its newly introduced product, Swagga Gin and Schnapps.

    Distributing the tricycles recently at the company’s premises in the ancient city, Brand Manager Mr Amuwo Olayinka said the items were given out to the distributors with a view to further enhancing distribution of the products to the grass-roots and final consumers.

    He stated that the initiative was also aimed at bonding with the distributors who are key in the value chain.

    Besides, he said the presentation of the tricycles is in line with the marketing objectives of Grand Oak Limited to get Swagga Gin and Schnapps to the target consumers which are mainly low income earners.

    “We are presenting Swagga tricycles to our esteemed distributors who we have chosen principally because they have helped fulfil one of the company’s visions of getting our products to the grassroots, and the final consumers.

    “The reason for choosing them is because we believe that with this new brand of ours, they can help us get the appropriate direct distribution through the consumer via the last retailer,” he said.

    He also stated that firm will continue to ensure that consumers have the best products from its stable at affordable prices.

    In his remarks, Regional Manager (West), Mr Femi Olayemi said GOL understands that the Nigerian alcoholic and beverage market is highly competitive, especially the challenges with low income earners, hence the urge by the company to make life easy for its target audience through availability of quality products at affordable prices.

  • SMEDAN to create 250,000 jobs

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) is to create 250,000 direct and indirect new jobs in Katsina State from 2013 to 2015.

    SMEDAN Director-General, Alhaji Bature Masari, disclosed this yesterday in Katsina when he paid a courtesy call on the governor of the state, Ibrahim Shema.

    He said the jobs would be created under the National Enterprises Development Programme (NEDEP).

    Masari said SMEDAN would conduct a ‘Needs Assessment’ in all the 34 Local Government Areas of the state to identify products of comparative advantage that could be developed and processed for sale.

    He said that SMEDAN would also partner the state government to establish mini-industrial parks that could accommodate a minimum of 50 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

    Masari added that another micro-credit system would be established to ease access to finance through collaboration with the Bank of Industry (BoI).

    He said this would assist to create rural industrialisation, reduce poverty, create jobs and enhance the living conditions of the populace.

    According to him, a survey conducted by SMEDAN and Bureau for Statistics in 2010 revealed that only 17.2 million micro, small and medium enterprises existed in the country and provided jobs for 32 million Nigerians.

    The governor said the objectives of SMEDAN were in line with the policy of the current administration in the state.

  • Rice farmers to govt: stop importation, smuggling

    President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Southwest Zone, Mr Segun Atho, has, urged the Federal Government to adopt decisive measures to stop the importation and smuggling of rice.

    Atho told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday that massive smuggling and importation of rice had adversely affected local production and was a major cause of concern to farmers.

    “Smugglers are seriously killing the acceptability of local rice in the market; we don’t have local rice as much as the foreign one in the markets.

    “Government needs to come out and help us to deal with the issue, in order to encourage local rice growers.

    “If the Federal Government can review the trade liberalisation scheme and close the borders to smuggled goods, this will help improve the production of local rice in the country,’’ he said.

    Atho added that the increase in the production and sale of local rice would encourage other interested citizens to take up farming as a profession.

    He also urged the government to invest more in the provision of organic fertiliser, saying there was a need to increase the nation’s capacity in rice production, rather than in the processing of the produce.

    “We appeal to government for provision of organic fertiliser, in order for our local produce to be accepted in other foreign countries.

    “The combination of chemical fertiliser and organic fertiliser increases the yield, more than chemical fertilisers alone, “he said.

    The association’s president attributed the rejection of locally produced rice at the international market to Nigerian farmers not having ready access to organic fertilisers during cultivation.

  • UNIDO, others partner on investment platform

    The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) is to go into partnership with the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment (FMTI) and other stakeholders to inaugurate an Investment Monitoring Platform (IMP) in Nigeria.

    The other stakeholders include the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

    This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by a UNIDO investment promotion expert, Mr Adetola Ajala. He said: “The IMP is an interactive online investment software developed by Microsoft for UNIDO that enables users to monitor investment trends, opportunities and impact andcontains data from more than 7000 companies in 19 African countries and provides a unique opportunity for research and policy advocacy in an empirically sound manner.” .

     Ajala added that the data would support the Federal Government through FMTI, NIPC, SMEDAN and other institutions to monitor trends in investment flows and measure their impact on the economy.

     It also said the platform will target quality investors and advocate for evidence-based interventions and policy proposals, stressing that IMP would be launched officially in Nigeria by the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, in Abuja.

  • Abia set to rebrand made-in-Aba goods

    Abia set to rebrand made-in-Aba goods

    The government of Abia State has promised to bring experts to the state to help grow small scale industrialists in Aba, the popular commercial nerve centre of the state.  This will make goods produced in the state to compete with goods produced in other parts of the world.

    The state governor, Theodore Ahamefula Orji, told The Nation, that experts have been brought in to polish not only the creativity of the small scale industrialists but to also horn their skills in quality finishing of their products.  He said no government worth its salt can neglect the commercial city knowing the activities and contributions of the informal sector to the economy of the state and well being of the citizens.

    The governor said: “Aba is very important to us because it is only in that town that you cannot find somebody who is unemployed. Every person in the city has employment. It is either you are an artisan, trader or you are learning a trade, even the civil servant finds time to try his hand in one business or the other. Nobody is idle and no responsible government can joke with such people.

    “The support and encouragement they need to excel we are bound to give to them and we are doing just that as we have constructed over 18 major roads and will still do more to ease their transportation needs as they move their goods from the point of production to distribution.”

    According to him, the state government plans to improve the standards of the manufactured products and brand it as ‘Made in Aba with Pride.’ He added that gone were days when goods produced from the commercial city would carry a foreign brand name. To achieve this, he said experts have been hired to give the products an international reach so that they could compete favourably with imported ones.

     To underscore the seriousness of his administration, he disclosed that the state government is partnering with the private sector to build more markets to serve as production points in clusters. The clusters will be in accordance with the trade of each of the unions operating in the market and they would be provided with the requisite infrastructure.

    He said: “We are getting more markets for them. For instance, a company known as ABIC is building more markets for them just behind Osisioma motor park. There is another market springing up in Ukwa West Local Government Area very close to the city centre for wholesale goods, packaging and exporting. We are also organising them into small cooperatives to enable them access funds to help buy the needed machines and accessories make their products compete favourably with the ones that come from Germany and Hong Kong.”

    He said government has taken it upon itself to raise the bar and also lead a campaign for Nigerians to patronise made-in-Aba goods for their standard quality.

     According to him Aba is the only place in the country where you find experts in wears, leather shoes and bags that are exported and of very good quality. He said the development of Aba will not be limited to the city alone, adding that the government has commenced the development of Umuahia, the state capital, by building industrial centres.

    On the moribund Golden Guinea Breweries and Modern Ceramics industries, the governor said Modern Ceramics Industry was ceded to the Catholic Church through their business arm known as UCL Resources and Investments Ltd.  He said the state went into partnership with the firm in order to revive the ailing industry. He added that the firm was actually doing well before running into hitches, promising his administration’s resolve to bail it out.

    The Nation reliably gathered that under the current shareholding arrangement, UCL Resources owns 80 per cent, Abia State government, 5 per cent, while the remaining 15 per cent is reserved for private investors.

    On Golden Guinea Breweries, the governor said: “We have an investor now. Initially, he was delayed for lack of funds but he has got money and is Germany-bound to get new machines as the machines are out of use and needs to be replaced fully.”

  • Expert urges govt, others to embrace local content

    The Federal Government and operators in the oil and gas sub-sector of the economy have been urged to take advantage of the abundant polymer materials in the country to halt the over $1 billion wasted through the importation of polymer into the country.

     This development will also avert further environmental degradation occasioned by the use of non-biodegradable materials for food packaging in the country.

    Prof Willis Harmon Ray of the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, United States of America (USA) made this call in Lagos at the annual lecture and Life Achievement Awards and Induction of new fellows of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE). With Engineering Opportunities and Challenges Related to Producing a Broad Range of Polymer Products from Oil and Gas as its theme, the lecture was held at the Main Auditorium of the University of Lagos, Akoka-Yaba. Prof Ray was guest lecturer at the event.

    Acccording to him, there were great opportunities to produce large quantities of a broader range of valuable polymers in Nigeria that would expand the domestic market, significantly reduce imports, and offer materials for the export market.

    He lamented that amid the abundant polymer materials in Nigeria, the country is currently spending over one $1 billion on the importation of polymer into the nation. Represented by the interim Dean, College of Engineering, University of Delaware, USA, Prof Babatunde Ogunnaike, said the country should take advantage of polymer materials to improve the economy.

    He said: “There are well-regarded and successful polymer production processes available for license that could be installed in Nigeria to take advantage of the large volumes of inexpensive oil, gas, and refined products available locally.

    “Creating and expanding the production of polymers would allow the expansion of the domestic polymer processing industry to provide more varieties and larger volumes of polymer consumer products for both domestic use and export. Nigerians must embrace the production of polymer materials.”

    Earlier in his address, NAE’s president, Prof Ayodele Francis Ogunye, said polymer production was becoming more relevant to the advancement of various sub-sectors of the nation’s economy. He therefore urged the Federal Government and stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to harness the abundant benefits in polymer production to the country’s advantage.

    The Academy honoured three of its elders with life achievement awards while 12 new members were inducted into the exalted class of fellows. Those honoured with life achievement awards include Engr.(professors) Gabriel Ayodele Makanjuola, Sikiru Adebayo Sanni and Engr.Guy Eboe Otobo.

    Those new fellows include former governor of Abia State and Chairmen, All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP Engr. (Dr.) Ogbonnaya Onu, Engr. (Prof.) Michael Oladimeji Faborode, Engr. (Prof.) Joseph Atubokiki Ajienka, Engr. (Prof.) Joseph Olawole Shojobi, Engr. (Prof.) Lawson Olabosipo Asekoya and Engr. Yusuf Olanrewaju Sagaya.

    Others are Engr. (Prof.) Joseph Olorunfemi Ojo, Engr. (Prof.) Adetokunbo Omokayode Denloye, Engr. (Dr.) Kisito Okpere, Engr. (Prof.) FunsoFalade and Engr. Jani Ibrahim.