Nigeria Targets Mining, Automotive Transformation to Drive Industrial Revolution

Nigeria Targets Mining, Automotive Transformation to Drive Industrial Revolution

Mr. Joseph Tegbe, Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), is actively pushing for policy alignment to transform Nigeria’s economy by focusing on the mining and automotive sectors. In a meeting with Senator John Owan Enoh, Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Tegbe discussed strategies aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s industrial potential under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Central to this vision is shifting Nigeria from an economy heavily dependent on imports to one driven by local production and export growth.

A key element supporting this transition is the Nigeria First Policy, a presidential directive requiring all government agencies to prioritize Nigerian-made goods and services in procurement processes. This policy is already reshaping supply chains, fostering job creation, and reducing import reliance in several sectors.

Tegbe underscored the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership’s commitment to aiding this transformation and expressed Nigeria’s readiness to evolve into a strategic development partner, especially with China. He referenced Brazil’s impressive $94.41 billion exports to China in 2024 as an example of what Nigeria could achieve by leveraging its strengths in agriculture, solid minerals, and industrial manufacturing.

Senator Enoh reiterated the federal government’s focus on three priority sectors—Sugar, Cotton-Textile-Garment (CTG), and Automobiles—each supported by active industry councils designed to promote localized production, boost domestic demand, and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global industrial landscape.