The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo disclosed yesterday  that Nigeria’s Industrial Revolution Plan is being reviewed to reflect economic realities and aspirations of the Federal Government.

The minister, who spoke at the commissioning of chemical solutions manufacturing plant in Lagos, listed the economic realities to include the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), imminence of the fourth industrial revolution and climate changes.

In a statement by the minister’s  Special Assistant on Media, Ifedayo Sayo, it states that the revision of the NIRP will provide a clear and definite path towards a new industrial aspiration, taking into cognisance the recent trade agreements and how it can be taken  advantage of, and to also  ensure a safer environment by adapting the policy to capture the global target of net zero emissions by 2050 and create job opportunities for Nigerians through increased production to leverage the wider market access provided by AfCFTA.

While congratulating the Board and Management of Pacegate Energy & Resources Limited on the commissioning of the first local content fluids and chemical solutions manufacturing plant in Nigeria, the minister said the new plant represented a significant landmark for the country’s industrialisation programme.

According to him, “Domestication of production and backward integration have been at the centre of this administration’s industrialisation programme, to drive job intensive growth of the Nigerian economy. They will increase local production, create job opportunities and improve our foreign exchange reserve position. It is, therefore, my pleasure to commission this manufacturing plant which will contribute significantly to the areas I just mentioned.

I am reliably informed that the company has so far invested a sum of ¦ 1 billion to achieve an installed production capacity of 12,900MT, which will produce unique and standard oilfield chemicals for local industries in the Oil & Gas and Transportation sectors. I believe this will help in taking us steps ahead in our effort to diversify the economy and increase the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the GDP”.

Adebayo said  the plant will provide jobs to Nigeria’s workforce. It will also promote local content and save the nation the extra cost of importing the now locally produced input, adding that despite the challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the completion of this manufacturing plant at this time demonstrates a deliberate effort by PEARL to support and  accelerate the growth of the manufacturing sector.”