Made in Nigeria Week: Driving Industrial Rebirth and National Brand Excellence By the Made in Nigeria Project Office

Made in Nigeria Week is a flagship national industrial exposition designed to promote local manufacturing, strengthen domestic value chains, and reposition Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy to a production-led powerhouse. Spearheaded by the Made in Nigeria Project Office, the event serves as a strategic convergence point for manufacturers, investors, policymakers, development partners, and consumers.

Held annually in Abuja, Made in Nigeria Week goes beyond exhibition; it is an economic mobilization platform aimed at accelerating industrial growth and national brand development.

Vision and Strategic Mandate

The core objective of Made in Nigeria Week is to:

• Promote locally manufactured goods

• Encourage import substitution

• Expand non-oil exports

• Attract domestic and foreign direct investment

• Strengthen Nigeria’s industrial ecosystem

It aligns with a broader “Production over Consumption” policy philosophy, advocating for local value addition, manufacturing expansion, and economic self-reliance.

Key Components of Made in Nigeria Week

1. National Products Exhibition

Manufacturers from across Nigeria’s 36 states showcase:

• Agro-processed goods

• Textiles and garments

• Leather and footwear

• Pharmaceuticals

• Cosmetics and household products

• Technology and light manufacturing innovations

The exhibition provides a direct interface between producers, distributors, retailers, and export buyers.

2. Investment & Trade Forum

A structured B2B and B2G engagement segment facilitates:

• Investor matchmaking

• Joint-venture negotiations

• Export readiness discussions

• Policy dialogue sessions

This component ensures that outcomes extend beyond visibility into real commercial transactions and partnerships.

3. Policy & Industrial Dialogue

High-level roundtables bring together:

• Government ministries and agencies

• Regulatory authorities

• Trade bodies

• Development finance institutions

Discussions focus on:

• Industrial financing

• Special Economic Zones

• Infrastructure bottlenecks

• Export promotion strategies

• Quality standards and certification

The goal is to address systemic constraints limiting Nigerian manufacturing competitiveness.

4. Youth & Women Empowerment Programs

Made in Nigeria Week integrates capacity-building initiatives targeting:

• Youth entrepreneurs

• Women-led SMEs

• Creative industry players

• Startups in manufacturing and processing

Workshops emphasize branding, packaging, digital marketing, export documentation, and sustainable production.

5. Fashion & Creative Industry Showcase

Through collaborations with initiatives like Wear Africa exhibitions, the event highlights:

• Indigenous textiles (Ankara, Aso Oke, Adire)

• Leather craftsmanship

• Sustainable fashion collections

This reinforces Nigeria’s cultural capital as an exportable economic asset.

Economic Significance

Made in Nigeria Week contributes to:

• Increased domestic patronage of Nigerian goods

• Reduction in foreign exchange pressure

• Expansion of SME market access

• Job creation across manufacturing value chains

• Strengthening of national brand perception

By integrating exhibition, policy, investment, and empowerment, the event functions as a national industrial acceleration platform.

Strategic Outcomes

When effectively executed, Made in Nigeria Week can:

• Facilitate MoU signings and investment commitments

• Unlock production financing

• Encourage cluster-based industrial development

• Enhance Nigeria’s global competitiveness

• Drive measurable GDP contribution from manufacturing

Conclusion

Made in Nigeria Week is more than a trade fair, it is a national economic movement designed to restore pride in local production and reposition Nigeria as a competitive manufacturing economy.

By connecting producers to markets, investors to opportunities, and policymakers to industry realities, the initiative strengthens the foundation for sustainable industrial transformation.

In the journey toward economic diversification and national brand excellence, Made in Nigeria Week stands as a catalyst for industrial revival, investment growth, and global recognition of Nigerian products.