The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Made-in-Nigeria

  • Shoprite reaffirms commitment to made-in-Nigeria products

    Shoprite reaffirms commitment to made-in-Nigeria products

    Shoprite Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to local products with its ‘Made- in-Nigeria’initiative, which has benefited producers and customers.

    The majority of products sold by Shoprite are sourced within the country. By pledging to stock more local produce across its 23 stores, Shoprite is highlighting its commitment to the economic  growth.

    The ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ initiative includes quarterly gatherings where local manufacturers can network and showcase their goods. These  have helped strengthen the relationship between Shoprite and local manufacturers, and have enabled manufacturers to identify new markets for their products.

    Integrated Factory Foods Managing Partner, Akhibi Onoke, said the benefits of selling Naija Sweet Rice in Shoprite stores had been evident.

    Onoke, who started supplying to Shoprite four months ago, said: “The big advantage for us is that our products are available in 23 stores nationwide, which increases our market and provides us with growth opportunities. The fact that people see the goods in Shoprite gives us a level of credibility. We are gaining a lot of mileage from that and the exposure to the retailers customer base is definitely working for us.”

    Pally Agro Products Managing Director, Anwuli Onyeagu, who makes  fresh palm fruit extracts, has been a part of the Shoprite ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ initiative for over three months. She said sales volumes of her products increased by over 40 per cent during the period.

    Shoprite is confident that ‘Made- in-Nigeria’ initiative is the boost that local suppliers need to grow the economy. Entrepreneurs and small businesses are encouraged to work with Shoprite.

    Local suppliers are subjected to the same stringent quality standards and demanding targets expected of Shoprite’s international suppliers. The ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ initiative provides more support to local manufacturers to ensure consistency of supply.

    In the past 11 years, the retailer has sourced products locally and has kept to its promise of lower prices.

  • Made-in-Nigeria goods’ll boost SMEs, create jobs

    The Federal Government’s strong push to encourage Nigerians to support locally- made goods and services will help encourage entrepreneurship at the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) segment.

    This could spur diversification of the economy, create local jobs, and reduce unemployment.

    The Regional Director for Sage in West Africa, Mr. Magnus Nmonwu, made this known on the sideline of the Africa Day celebration with the theme, “Building a better Africa and a better world.”

    Sage is the market and technology leader for integrated accounting, payroll, and payment systems, supporting the ambition of entrepreneurs and business builders.

    Nmonwu said: “Small businesses and start-ups are the engines that will power Nigeria’s growth into the future.

    “The sooner we start supporting our proudly Nigerian suppliers and service providers, the better for us. With our support, they can create wealth and jobs for the country, and many of them could grow into globally competitive exporters.”

    Nmonwu said the Federal Government should be praised for putting the spotlight on local manufacturers through initiatives such as the Made-in-Nigeria Dress Days and an Executive Order compelling state agencies to direct at least 40 per cent of procurement to Made-in-Nigeria goods and services.

    He stressed that local service providers and manufacturers could play an important role in the revival of Nigeria’s economy.

    “We welcome the effort to encourage industrialisation and diversify the economy from commodities into new areas. Strong local demand is the foundation of a manufacturing sector that can grow into an export industry,” Nmonwu said.

    According to him, government was putting its money where its mouth is with its Executive Order and giving the public a good example to follow.

    The Sage Regional Director, however, said there was scope for the public sector to do more to encourage the growth of SMEs.

    Such encouragement, he said, includes tax incentives for local producers, support in accessing finance, and facilitating mentoring and skills development programmes between small business and bigger companies.

    “The government should encourage small businesses to adopt business software so that they can improve regulatory compliance and financial controls. This could also help in tracking the performance of those that benefit from state loans and incentives, and hold them accountable,” Nmonwu said.

     

     

  • Executive order to promote made in Nigeria, says minister

    •Mohammed hails Innoson Motors

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting Made in Nigeria products.

    Mohammed said one of the executive orders signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is aimed at giving preferences to local manufacturers of goods and services.

    The minister, who spoke yesterday after inspecting Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, a local automobile factory in Nnewi, Anambra State, said the measure was part of the efforts to diversify the economy.

    “The Federal Government’s commitment to diversifying the economy is unwavering. On May 18, 2017, as part of the Ease of Doing Business Initiative, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo signed three Executive Orders. One of the three is called the ‘Support for local contents in public procurement by the Federal Government’.

    “A key provision of this is that all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall grant preferences to local manufacturers of goods and service providers in their procurement of goods and services,” he said.

    Explaining the gains of the executive order, he said:  ”Specifically, it says Made in Nigeria products shall be given preferences in the procurement of items, including furniture and fittings, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, ICT, uniforms and footwear, food and beverages and motor vehicles.”

    On the recent collaboration between the Ministry of Information and that of Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to roll out the National Media Launch of the Made-in-Nigeria Campaign, the minister said: “The campaign is to let Nigerians know that the Federal Government is notjust paying lip service to this whole issue of Made in Nigeria.”

    He stressed that Innoson and other local manufacturers would be the biggest beneficiaries of the campaign.

    The minister said the campaign, which will also be launched in other parts of the country soon, “will surely boost the patronage of local manufacturers, including Innoson Motors”.

    The minister described the motor vehicle manufacturing company as a trailblazer in the automotive industry and a shining example of what Nigeria is capable of achieving, if it looks inwards and taps into the boundless energy and ingenuity of its people.

    “True to its name, Innoson is a manufacturing company, not an assembly plant. It is exactly what the brains behind the National Automotive Industry Development Plan have in mind when they rolled out that policy, which is to curtail dependence on imports and ensure the growth of the automotive industry, using local resources.

    Innoson is living up to what the policy aims to achieve – creation of jobs, conservation of foreign exchange and acceleration of technical development,” he added.

    Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Chief Innocent Chukwuma said the mission and vision of the company was in line with the Federal Government’s plan to make Nigeria one of the world’s top 20 industrialised nations in the year 2020.

    Chukwuma reassured the minister that Innoson was prepared to contribute towards the attainment of that goal.

    He said the company, which has been in operation since 2009, has manufactured about 11,000 vehicles.

    He added that Innoson has the capacity to manufacture about 10,000 vehicles annually.

    The industrialist, however, said the company has not enjoyed enough patronage from the three tiers of government.

    He said the firm will need more capital injection to make the company further increase production capacity.

    Chukwuma explained that if the company can have access to more capital, “we can produce vehicles at a cheaper rate that will not only be used in Nigeria, but will also be exported to other African nations, thereby increasing the inflow of foreign exchange.”

     

  • Made-in-Nigeria goods ’ ll boost SMEs, create jobs

    The Federal Government’s strong push to encourage Nigerians to support locally- made goods and services will help encourage entrepreneurship at the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) segment.

    This could spur diversification of the economy, create local jobs, and reduce unemployment.

    The Regional Director for Sage in West Africa, Mr. Magnus Nmonwu, made this known on the sideline of the Africa Day celebration with the theme, “Building a better Africa and a better world.”

    Sage is the market and technology leader for integrated accounting, payroll, and payment systems, supporting the ambition of entrepreneurs and business builders.

    Nmonwu said: “Small businesses and start-ups are the engines that will power Nigeria’s growth into the future.

    “The sooner we start supporting our proudly Nigerian suppliers and service providers, the better for us. With our support, they can create wealth and jobs for the country, and many of them could grow into globally competitive exporters.”

    Nmonwu said the Federal Government should be praised for putting the spotlight on local manufacturers through initiatives such as the Made-in-Nigeria Dress Days and an Executive Order compelling state agencies to direct at least 40 per cent of procurement to Made-in-Nigeria goods and services.

    He stressed that local service providers and manufacturers could play an important role in the revival of Nigeria’s economy.

    “We welcome the effort to encourage industrialisation and diversify the economy from commodities into new areas. Strong local demand is the foundation of a manufacturing sector that can grow into an export industry,” Nmonwu said.

    According to him, government was putting its money where its mouth is with its Executive Order and giving the public a good example to follow.

    The Sage Regional Director, however, said there was scope for the public sector to do more to encourage the growth of SMEs.

    Such encouragement, he said, includes tax incentives for local producers, support in accessing finance, and facilitating mentoring and skills development programmes between small business and bigger companies.

    “The government should encourage small businesses to adopt business software so that they can improve regulatory compliance and financial controls. This could also help in tracking the performance of those that benefit from state loans and incentives, and hold them accountable,” Nmonwu said.

    He added that infrastructure investment across roads, power, communications and ports are also important in spurring development of local industries.

  • Shoprite promotes Nigerian products at ‘Made in Nigeria’ second edition

    Shoprite promotes Nigerian products at ‘Made in Nigeria’ second edition

    As part of its continued drive to promote Made-in-Nigeria products, the retail giant Shoprite gathered local manufacturers, budding start-ups and farmers to the second edition of its initiative which is meant to be a series of quarterly meet-ups aimed at strengthening existing relationships with suppliers, identifying gaps, harnessing new opportunities in line with improving the Economic stability of the country, alongside creating the chance for local producers to showcase products and goods manufactured in Nigeria for export.

    The event which was held at the Shoprite store in Ikeja City Mall, Lagos was well attended by members of the press and local manufacturers. The management of Shoprite calls on manufacturers to take advantage of this window to partner with Shoprite and have their products on the shelves.

    It is worth mentioning that Shoprite through initiatives such as this had established a partnership with an association of potato farmers in Plateau state where deliveries of fresh potato products are made to Abuja in large quantities. Likewise, the farmers’ association will continue to benefit from their relationship with Shoprite in terms of reduction of food wastage and lost revenue which was major challenges before the partnership. 

    The made in Nigeria event which was launched first in February is a programme that would continue to showcase Nigerian products in all of Shoprite outlets across the country. Other local manufacturers and farmers have a chance to partner with Shoprite to make Proudly Nigerian products a household name both locally and internationally as it continues to call for manufacturers to supply local products.

  • ‘Govt must patronise made-in-Nigeria goods’

    PATRONAGE of locally made goods is key to accelerating the country’s economic recovery, the Secretary-General, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade IssaAremu, has said .
    Aremu said the campaign for the patronage of the made-in-Nigeria goods by President Muhammadu Buhari should start from members of his cabinet.
    He said: “The campaign must start from the textile industry. The president, vice president, ministers, must appear in made-in-Nigeria textiles.
    “Our school uniforms, military and para-military uniforms, uniforms of the NYSC should be made in Nigeria with Nigerian fabrics, we must patronise what we produce at home. Secondly, we need uninterrupted power supply because the cost of production is very high.”
    Aremu said all stakeholders, organised labour, organised businesses, private sector, chambers of commerce and others should rise up and address the problems of the informal sector workers.
    He said: “They don’t talk of the informal sector workers, so when they talk of reducing the cost of doing business, they are talking of big multinationals who want permits, want tax waiver, tax holidays, and uninterrupted power supply.
    “We are calling on the Federal Government that the new economy recovery plan should be inclusive of small businesses, self-employed people, informal sector workers, because the cost of doing business for them is even higher.
    “With the little money they have, they have to buy small generators, buy fuel, the money that a tailor should have used to buy a new machine. So, how do you reduce the cost of business of a tailor? You make electricity available, make input available. When you hear the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) talking of allocating scarce resources to manufacturing, to people producing locally, they don’t capture this people. Yet 100 percent they are local people.”
    Aremu said the informal sector needed a voice to engage the government because they are also exposed to multiple taxation.
    “Government at all levels impose multiple levies on them. Local governments chargethem, state government also charges them without service delivery. What I mean is that no security for them, no permit work,” he said.

  • Enugu set for Chukwumerije’s ‘Made in Nigeria’

    Enugu set for Chukwumerije’s ‘Made in Nigeria’

    Lovers of arts and entertainment in Enugu are set to experience a poetry production by Dike Chukwumerije, Made in Nigeria, on March 25 at the Oakland Centre.

    Dike, a performance poet, won the Abuja Literary Society Poetry Slam 2011 and the National Poetry Slam 2012. He has done three Performance Poetry videos, a bi-annual live Poetry show now in its 5th year and the theatre production, Made in Nigeria, which tells Nigeria’s history over the last 120 years.

    “It is a great joy for us in the South East to know that Dike is coming and he is bringing his very famous “Made in Nigeria” poetry show to Enugu and the South East in general for the first time,” Mr. Ken Ike Okere, South East Zonal Director of Radio Nigeria said.

    “Performance poetry is like the fuel that is driving poetry appreciation in Nigeria at the moment.”

    Chukwumerije also said that after Enugu, Made in Nigeria would go to Kaduna later in the year.

    Made in Nigeria was last performed during in February 2017 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja after previous showings in Lagos in December 2016 and at Merit House, Abuja in September 2016.

  • Kwara, SON make case for made-in-Nigeria products

    The Kwara State government, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and an industrialist have pushed for made-in-Nigeria goods as a recipe for the country’s economy development.

    They said this in Ilorin, the state capital, at the presentation of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)’s certificate of mandatory conformity assessment programme (MANCAP) to the managing director of an Ilorin-based Forgo Battery Company Limited, Joseph Offorjama.

    The state Commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives, Alhaji Abubakar Rifu said Nigeria does not need to rely on imported products to grow its economy.

    The commissioner, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Hajia Aisat Abubakar said, “We are happy that SON is ensuring standard for us to have value for our money. If we can get value for our money we don’t need to consume imported products. The campaign for buy Nigerian-made products would have started a very long time ago so that we will appreciate ourselves.

    “I want to congratulate Forgo Battery for doing the right thing. We are indeed very happy with you. We will always support you; we will always be there for you when you need our services. The government is very happy with you. I encourage you not to compromise standard in

    your production. Let the customers recognise you.”

    Kwara state Coordinator, SON, Sunday Yashim said “patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods is the only way to grow the country’s economy.

    “The impression that made-in-Nigeria products are substandard is the mentality of the black man. He does believe in himself. The truth about it is that any product that is manufactured has minimum requirements and almost all the products we have certified have met those minimum requirements.

    “Any product that has our logo, it is assumed the product is of high quality. And SON is an autonomous parastatal. If the product falls short of the minimum standard members of the “public is at liberty to see redress in the law court.”

    Speaking with reporters shortly after receiving the MANCAP certificate, Mr. Offorjama listed some of the challenges confronting manufacturers in the country as “difficulty in sourcing foreign exchange to import some vital materials that are not available locally; difficulty in getting spare-parts for some of the machines as they are not made here; unavailability of technical-know-how. So have to pay through our noses to import experts periodically to handle some things for us.”

    He admitted that locally produced goods are far better than imported ones in some instances, adding that “the local products are good and even much better, because battery has a life. The modern batteries now which are maintenance free start the day they are sealed. If you buy batteries that have been regulated by SON-Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) freshly made then you have got true value for your money.”

    He urged the Federal Government to help local manufacturers to get foreign exchange with ease.

    “This should be urgently attended to because most factories still need foreign exchange to get spare parts and some raw materials that are not available here”, he said.

    In the area of power cost, we think government should stop the upward revive of tariff until supply improves. Presently too, there are clamours for other sources of power which we highly encourage.

    “So having other sources of energy through gas and solar is welcome development.

    With that energy cost can be competitive. Over time, as the economy improves we will see how to source raw materials from research institute that available to make these materials known and where they are. And we will explore them to reduce the cost of importation.”

     

  • BoI promotes made-in-Nigeria goods

    AS part of its effort to boost the creative economy, Nigeria’s developmental bank, Bank of Industry (BoI) has organised a two-day masterclass for fashion designers in Lagos and Abuja on February 8 and February 10 respectively.

    At the Lagos segment of the event which held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, on Wednesday February 8, top fashion designers who attended the session were excited to interact with Mercedes Gonzalez, the famous international fashion strategy and brand development expert who was brought in by the bank to help sharpen the skills of Nigerian entrepreneurs operating in the various segments of the fashion value chain.

    The initiative is also a testimony of the company’s listening ears, going by demand from the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), urging the management of the bank to provide training, build capacity and guidance for budding entrepreneurs in the sector.

    President of FADAN, Mrs. Funmi Ajila-Ladipo, had made the request during the launch of a special fund for the fashion industry recently, as part of the bank’s support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

    Organised in partnership with Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments, the intervention in the fledgling fashion industry is seen as remedy for the current economic recession.

    The session began with an all-inclusive exhibition of made-in-Nigeria goods, showcasing the ingenuity of Nigerians in making dresses, beads, hats, shoes and other gorgeous fashion items.

    It was exciting to several fashion enthusiasts that the session conducted by the world’s renowned Mercedes Gonzalez, from America, was free of charge.

    Speaking at the event, Acting Managing Director, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, said the project, “is to ensure that we sharpen the skills of our entrepreneurs in the textile and apparels company value chain such that they can be able to export and access international market especially the US market, while also taking advantage of our huge population.”

    Olagunju said there are a lot of people who like clothes that are made in Nigeria but are unable to meet their demand because of certain limitations.

    “So we want them to realise their potentials by bringing such an international strategist and expert and as we can see they are following the presentation and enjoying it and as a financial institution, when they pass through processes like this, they becoming substantially briefed such that when we lend to them, chances of payment are higher. And it only when we lend to them that they pay us with interest which is when my salary is paid because our customers pay our salaries. That is why they say customer is king. So it’s good to help our customers to help ourselves,” Olagunju said.

    Some of the fashion houses that showcased their wares at the event include Godwin Green couture, Bimbeads, Potter’s Signature, Little Weavers, Bolsy Aso-Oke, Grace Hats, House of Marie, Femi Handbags, Ade Bakare couture and Kijipa Africa.

    Some of the established names at the event were Lanre Da Silva, Frank Osodi, Mai Atafo, Funmi Ladipo, Nike Ogunlesi, Modela and Kiki Okewale among others.

  • Dike Chukwumerije to excite Abuja with ‘Made in Nigeria’

    Dike Chukwumerije to excite Abuja with ‘Made in Nigeria’

    Performance poet, Dike Chuwkumerije is set to excite Abuja audiences with ‘Made In Nigeria’ this Saturday, February 11, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

    The show which is an artfully woven collection of 20 poems capturing 103 years of Nigerian history in 120 minutes was first performed in Abuja in September 2016 and then in Lagos at the MUSON Centre in December of the same year.

    “Made in Nigeria is a fusion of different art forms into one performance,” said the poet.

    “We are bringing to life, the history of Nigeria from the Amalgamation to the current day using poetry, dance and drama. Part of our aims is to re-awaken national consciousness as well as to bring intellectualism into poetry.”

    More than a chronicle, ‘Made in Nigeria’ is a collection of human stories. Two lovers caught in the political crisis of the mid ’60s, a couple in the ‘70s facing their parents’ aversion to inter-tribal relationships, a soldier’s wife anxious for her husband, a mother guiding her son through recession, two teenagers finding love on a beach  in the ‘90s. Weaving these stories together, ‘Made in Nigeria’ re-creates the rich tapestry of Nigeria’s socio-cultural and political life.

    Dike won the Abuja Literary Society Poetry Slam 2011 and the National Poetry Slam 2012. He has three successful Performance Poetry videos, a bi-annual live Poetry show now in its 5th year and the theatre production, Made in Nigeria, that has been staged successfully twice in Abuja and Lagos between September and December 2016.