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The Federal Government has announced it will start evaluating the performance of all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies based on their adherence to the Nigeria First Policy, which emphasizes the use of locally produced goods and services.
During an interview on Channels Television monitored by Rocketparrot News on Thursday, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, revealed that this policy will now be a critical performance measure within the Central Coordinating Delivery Unit of the Presidency.
Oduwole explained that the policy isn't entirely new but is a renewed emphasis by President Bola Tinubu on the importance of supporting local content and industrialization by prioritizing Nigeria in all governmental transactions, especially in procurement processes.
The Federal Executive Council endorsed this policy in its meeting on May 5, directing that Nigerian manufacturers, service providers, and contractors be prioritized in all procurement activities.
The policy also requires justification and waivers from the Bureau of Public Procurement before any foreign goods or services can be utilized. “The ‘Nigeria First’ policy isn't completely novel; it’s a reinterpretation. It represents the President urging the country to prioritize Nigeria,” she stated.
She pointed out that despite existing measures like the Executive Order on local content, which has been incorporated into the Business Facilitation Act, some MDAs still fail to prioritize Nigerian-made products and services.
“There was an executive bill concerning local content. Often, Nigerians and MDAs forget that we ought to purchase Nigerian products first. While we understand trade rules and the need for non-discrimination, it’s crucial to remember to support our local industries and businesses,” she noted.
“We need to produce what we consume and consume what we produce. Given the current state of global trade, President Tinubu is reminding everyone, including the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, to back made-in-Nigeria goods and industrialization. We seek both domestic and foreign investment to enhance productivity and foster economic activity, thus leading to trade and preferably exports that generate further income and investment. That’s the cycle.”
Oduwole emphasized that they will be measuring how well ministries comply with this policy, and its implementation will now be integrated into their performance metrics for the President's Central Coordinating Delivery Unit. This compliance will be continuously monitored. As a lead spender in the economy, the government must set an example by boosting local production and decreasing dependence on imports.
Three main areas where the policy will be applied were outlined: focusing on local procurement, ensuring that all local options are considered before looking at foreign alternatives, and enhancing regulatory and bureaucratic processes to support local enterprises.
The minister added that compliance monitoring would occur quarterly through the Central Coordinating Delivery Unit, and MDAs would be accountable for their adherence.
She expressed that her ministry's performance has aligned with the President’s directives, with the overarching goal of fostering both domestic and foreign investment to spur productivity, trade, and export growth.
“The government is a significant spender in Nigeria. Thus, President Tinubu has mandated that the procurement process be made more straightforward for Nigerian businesses to secure government contracts,” she stated.
“The second objective is to ensure that we explore all local procurement options before considering anything else. Finally, the aim is to simplify the regulatory and bureaucratic environment to enable our businesses to succeed.
The procurement procedure needs to be efficient and accessible for Nigerian firms to receive government support. The Central Coordinating Delivery Unit will evaluate our progress quarterly. It’s imperative that we produce what we consume and consume what we produce,” she concluded.
