In a bid to boost the nation’s manufacturing sector, the Federal Government has commenced moves to reduce the cost of gas for Generating Companies, GENCOs, across the country.
iBrandTV gathered that cost competitiveness remains one of the manufacturing sector major.
One the factors that drives the cost is the non availability of adequate power.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion on the industrialisation of Africa organised by the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investments, Otunba Adebayo, noted that Africa contributes less than 2% to international trade, pushing it to the bottom of the global value chain.
He said this led to lower export trade volumes, lost job opportunities and reduced foreign exchange for players in the continent’s real sector.
According to him, all stakeholders need to work together towards developing measures to improve the cost competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in order for Nigerian industries to lead the transformation of the country and Africa’s economy.
The Minister said, “For example, we are collaborating with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to lower the cost of gas which is critical to the production of the energy sector. This is one factor that can improve the cost competitiveness of the sector.
“Another way that Nigerian industries can position themselves for the African economic transformation is by aligning themselves with the country’s industrialisation programme.
“On our part, we are accelerating the establishment of world-class special economic zones in Lagos, Abia and Kano, among others, which will drive our industrialisation programme by increasing the concentration of high-quality infrastructure and providing fiscal incentives for producers in the sector.”
The minister urged manufacturers to take advantage of the special economic zones and the wider market of 1.3 billion provided by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. He said the AfCFTA’s potential could only be reached by private sector-led investments