{"id":7742,"date":"2025-05-07T19:40:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T19:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/?p=7742"},"modified":"2025-05-07T19:40:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T19:40:18","slug":"nigeria-first-policy-receives-industry-praise-sparks-call-for-action-from-atiku-petroan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/07\/nigeria-first-policy-receives-industry-praise-sparks-call-for-action-from-atiku-petroan\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria First Policy Receives Industry Praise, Sparks Call for Action from Atiku, PETROAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Federal Government\u2019s Public Procurement Policy Faces Applause, Political Challenge, and Caution from Key Stakeholders<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Federal Executive Council\u2019s recent approval of the Nigeria First Policy<\/strong>\u2014a bold framework mandating the prioritization of locally made goods and services in public procurement\u2014has sparked widespread reactions from business leaders, political figures, and sectoral associations.<\/p>\n

Industry groups such as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigeria Employers\u2019 Consultative Association (NECA), and Senator Ali Ndume have lauded the move as a potential game-changer for the domestic economy. However, political heavyweight Atiku Abubakar and the Petroleum Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) have urged caution and accountability in the policy\u2019s implementation.<\/p>\n

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Industry Leaders: A Long-Awaited Boost for Local Production<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In a statement, MAN Director General Segun Ajayi-Kadir hailed the policy as a \u201clong-overdue\u201d relief for local manufacturers, noting that if properly implemented, it could raise Nigeria\u2019s GDP by 56% and reduce unemployment by 37%.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis initiative signals government\u2019s genuine commitment to promoting local industries and creating jobs,\u201d Ajayi-Kadir said. \u201cIt\u2019s time to consume what we produce and expand what we consume.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He emphasized that all tiers of government must lead by example, particularly in public procurement across ministries, security agencies, and the presidency.<\/p>\n

NECA\u2019s Director General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, described the policy as a \u201cstrategic economic imperative,\u201d arguing that it will ease pressure on foreign exchange, stimulate industrial growth, and preserve jobs.<\/p>\n

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Atiku Challenges Tinubu: Ditch the Escalade for Innoson<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, however, questioned the sincerity of the policy, urging President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate real commitment by replacing his foreign-made presidential Escalade with a locally manufactured vehicle like Innoson or Nord.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cTrue leadership is leading by example. Trade the Escalade for an Innoson and conduct medicals in Nigerian hospitals,\u201d Atiku\u2019s spokesperson Phrank Shaibu stated.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He criticized what he termed the administration\u2019s “PR stunt,” asserting that genuine economic patriotism must start from the top, including vacationing at Nigerian resorts and abandoning foreign medical tourism.<\/p>\n

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PETROAN Warns Against Blanket Ban, Calls for Strategic Exemptions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While PETROAN expressed support for the local content drive, the group warned that an unguarded implementation could backfire, especially in sectors like petroleum where domestic capacity remains inadequate.<\/p>\n

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\u201cEnergy security must not be compromised,\u201d said PETROAN President Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry. \u201cEssential goods like fuel and pharmaceuticals may require exemptions to avoid supply shocks.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The association recommended a balanced approach, citing the U.S. “America First” model that employed targeted tariffs rather than sweeping import bans.<\/p>\n

PETROAN further cautioned that sudden changes could exacerbate inflation and harm consumers if critical items are not readily available locally.<\/p>\n

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Senator Ndume, Others Support Bold Economic Pivot<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Senator Ali Ndume also backed the policy, calling it a timely intervention for the country\u2019s struggling manufacturing sector.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cProtecting local industries from substandard imports will boost employment, stabilize the naira, and stimulate GDP growth,\u201d Ndume remarked.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He urged the government to consider imposing heavy tariffs on non-essential foreign goods and redirect those funds into infrastructure and industrial support.<\/p>\n

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Policy Success Hinges on Execution and Transparency<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Despite widespread praise, stakeholders across the board emphasized the critical role of implementation<\/strong>. Without strict enforcement and alignment across government agencies, experts fear the Nigeria First Policy may join a long list of unfulfilled economic blueprints.<\/p>\n

As Nigeria navigates economic headwinds, the success of this local content strategy could determine whether the nation merely talks economic patriotism\u2014or truly lives it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Federal Government\u2019s Public Procurement Policy Faces Applause, Political Challenge, and Caution from Key Stakeholders The Federal Executive Council\u2019s recent approval of the Nigeria First Policy\u2014a bold framework mandating the prioritization of locally made goods and services in public procurement\u2014has sparked widespread reactions from business leaders, political figures, and sectoral associations. Industry groups such as the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Nigeria\u2019s new local procurement policy earns praise, but critics urge action, transparency, and exemptions for critical goods.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37,35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-news"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7742"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7745,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742\/revisions\/7745"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shakamomodu.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}