- Cross River Governor Champions Made-in-Nigeria Campaign
- By December 2025 new guidelines requiring justification whenever imported goods are chosen over certified local alternatives
- Otunba Francis Meshioye, OFR, commended the Tinubu administration for establishing the Industrial Revolution Working Group
The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, has reaffirmed his administration’s strong commitment to promoting locally made products as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s economy and deepen national self-reliance, Eko Hot Blog reports.
Governor Otu, represented by his deputy, Dr. Peter Odey, stated this at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Annual General Meeting held in Lagos, themed “Nigeria First: Patronising Made-in-Nigeria Products.”
He said the initiative aligns with his administration’s “People First” mantra, describing it as a clarion call for collective survival and economic liberation.
“Patronage of local products is key to national prosperity,” Odey said, urging both the public and private sectors to adopt the Nigeria First philosophy. “Each time we choose a locally made product, we strengthen our national pride and economic future.”
The governor highlighted the state’s industrial and agricultural progress, including cocoa plantations in Ikom, rice fields in Ogoja, rubber estates in Akamkpa, and the expanding oil palm sector.
He revealed that the state government had adopted a local motor manufacturing firm to supply vehicles for official use and had recently procured over 100 locally made mini-tractors for farmers.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan-Enoh, disclosed that the Federal Government would soon make it mandatory for public institutions to prioritise Made-in-Nigeria products in procurement.
He said that by December 2025, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), would issue new guidelines requiring justification whenever imported goods are chosen over certified local alternatives.
“The Nigeria First policy is not a mere slogan,” the President stated. “It is a disciplined way to spend, procure, and compete.”
In his remarks, MAN President, Otunba Francis Meshioye, OFR, commended the Tinubu administration for establishing the Industrial Revolution Working Group (IRWG) to drive Nigeria’s industrial policy.
He also lauded Cross River State for taking steps to legislate the Nigeria First policy at the state level, a move he said demonstrates leadership and alignment with the nation’s industrialization agenda.
During the meeting, Cross River State was recognised and awarded for its commitment to promoting local content and indigenous products.
FURTHER READING
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