President Muhammadu Buhari says the Federal Government will take appropriate measures to improve access to foreign exchange (forex) for the importation of raw materials and machines that are not readily available locally.
Buhari said this when he received the leadership of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
MAN had appealed to the president to take steps to ensure that the real sector contributed more to the Nigerian economy.
Buhari said the relevant ministry would revisit their concerns about the increase in excise duties on some identified products and other tariff-related matters.
“Our strategic plan to boost manufacturing activities in the country is on course,” Buhari said.
“We will continue to improve the patronage of locally made goods, bridge the gap between skills required by industry and those provided by our tertiary institutions, and ensure seamless access to long term finance for our Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs).
“We recognise that MAN remains a key stakeholder in this journey and we will continue our engagement with you.”
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum, said the ministry would continue to work with MAN in the areas of policy, trade and creation of an environment that would facilitate the growth of businesses in Nigeria.
MAN president, Mansur Ahmed, said the advocacy visit was to thank the president for all the support extended to the manufacturing sector since his assumption of office in 2015, and seek further support for the sector to overcome constraints to competitive manufacturing in the country.
