‘Manufacturing Expo to boost value-chain activities, access to global markets’

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has stated that its upcoming Nigerian Manufacturing and Equipment Expo would boost activities in the value-chain sector as well as improve access of small businesses to new markets.

According to MAN President, Frank Jacobs, the event is principally targeted at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to equip them with information on new processes on ways of boosting their production output, reducing cost, improving product quality and manufacturing for new markets.

Scheduled to hold on the 14th to 16th of March, 2017, at the Landmark event centre in Lagos, the expo is expected to equip and build capacities of small businesses with the requisite skills needed to access new ‎markets across the globe.

Speaking during a press conference to announce the forthcoming exhibition, Jacobs explained that the success of the maiden edition is expected to impact positively on this year’s edition.

He noted that the maiden edition recorded over 2600 participants made up of manufacturing experts, diplomatic corps, representatives of government ministries among others, adding that this year’s event will attract over 4000 visitors and exhibitors, maintaining that the target is against its initial projection of 3,700 which would comprise of MAN member-companies and other manufacturers in large and small and medium industries as well as manufacturing equipment distributors from over 120 leading local and international suppliers.

He added that the event designed to hold simultaneously with the Nigeria Raw Materials Expo (NIRAM) would afford exhibitors and visitors to the Nigeria Manufacturing Expo (NME), a rare opportunity of exposure to the entire manufacturing value chain.

He noted that the exhibition will also provide opportunities for large and medium size companies to retool their machinery and get information on local sources of raw materials to boost their productivity, reduce cost and time of procurement.

Also speaking at the event, the Director General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) , Dr. Hussaini Ibrahim, said the NIRAM expo provides a unique platform for resources and raw materials’ producers to showcase and network with the members of the Organised Private Sector ( OPS) for the purpose of sustaining local procurement of available raw materials in line with the council to promote the development and utilisation of Nigeria’s abundant natural resources as industrial inputs for manufacturing.

The Director General who was represented by the Director of Investment and Consultancy Services Department, Mrs. Zainab Hammanga, said the expo will also promote the diversification of the economy in line with the agenda of the federal government b encouraging the growth and development of resource-based micro, small and medium scale manufacturing industries involved in the agricultural and mineral sectors.

The organisers of the event through its Managing Director, Clarion Events West Africa, Mr. Dele Alimi, ‎said the event would also give opportunities to exhibitors to attend free conferences on how to build their capacities, get access to finance and access new emerging markets.

“We are looking at building capacities of these companies in the manufacturing sector to ‎start looking inwards by substituting their imports sourcing for raw materials locally. This we believe will help the country save its scarce foreign exchange,” he said.