Last Monday, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki announced the Made-in-Nigeria Challengean offshoot of his campaign to stimulate public appeal for Nigerian made goods.Basically, the aim of the Challenge is to encourage local manufacturers by giving them the necessary incentive and support to grow and compete with their foreign counterparts.The campaign encourages Nigerians to send in a 45-second to three-minute video promo of a product the country is currently importing but which they can produce with 100 percent local content. For instance, a local manufacturer of toothpick, can tomato paste, fruit juice, textile, local technological implement or products which add value to agricultural products, just to mention a few, may enter for the Challenge.After receipt of the entries, a group of experts and industry operators put together by the Senate President will review the videos and verify the claims therein. The shortlisted manufacturers will be invited to Abuja to showcase their products at a Made-In-Nigeria fair that will be co-hosted by civil society groups and some other development partners. This fair will also have in attendance guests from different government agencies and investors who will be able to address the participants on how to overcome the challenges they might be facing in successfully running Small and medium Scale Enterprises. The diplomatic community and the local and the foreign media likeAfrican Voices on CNN, CNBCwill also be invited to the event.Earlier in 2016, Senator Saraki pledged to support legislations that would make it mandatory for the government to patronise local products. This promise made during his attendance at the Made in Aba Trade Fair resulted in the passage of the amendments to the Public Procurement Act with a provision which compels Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to give preference to local manufacturers and suppliers in all their procurements.The New Bill also increased mobilisation fee to contractors as well as shorten the number of days for a procurement process.Also, while speaking with representatives of Manufacturers of local products based in Aba led by Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe in his office last February, Saraki remarked that some local products were more sophisticated than imported ones; hence every effort must be made to ensure such goods are patronised and that their manufacturers break even.This is the only way we can create jobs, solve the problem of unemployment and stop the growing army of aggrieved youths who pose danger to society. We can do it. We have the population which translates to a huge ready market. This is how we can genuinely help our people,The chairmen of our relevant committees are being put on notice to ensure that they focus their oversight on these areas. We must make sure that government agencies patronise Nigerian manufacturers. For example, the armed forces should be purchasing and using foot wears produced in the various industries in Aba and other places., he said.After Sarakis appeal to government agencies to patronise local products, the army placed an order for 50 thousand pairs of Made-in-Aba boots. Also, the army ordered for armoured security vehicles from Innoson Manufacturing Vehicles (IMV) based in Nnewi. In the same vein, the Nigerian Air Force now has an agreement with the IMV for the refurbishing of its aircraft.Saraki is not relenting in his determination to promote local industries. He in fact desires that Nigerians take over the ownership of the advocacy campaign. The present Challenge is aimed at engaging and encouraging Nigerians who have an eye for local productiongoods that are ready substitute for imported ones and that can add value to the economyin all spheres.In this charge, in December 2016, Saraki met with Mr Sam Hart, leader of the delegation of Made-in-Aba Manufacturers and also with Mr Velcroz, a local shoemaker. And for his steadfastness in promoting Nigerian goods, the Senate President was named #MadeInAba/#MadeInNigeria Ambassador.The senate president is interested in connecting more local manufacturers from Osogbo, Kabba, Abeokuta, Ilorin, Mbaise and many other cities across the country with potential investors and government agencies.It remains a strange phenomenon that Nigerians are crazy about foreign goods when the country is blessed with an array of raw materials that can be converted to finished productsThe local Adire and Kampala can replace the school uniforms of pupils in primary and. Secondary schools. There are different species of trees which makes it alarming that the country is importing furniture, matches and toothpick. Again, we import starch when we have cassava in loads; we import tomato paste when our lands are good for growing tomato.And we import wooden doors when we have Iroko, Mahogany, Ogbeche trees all over the country that can be used for the production of quality wooden doors. And these examples are endless.Now, with the official launch of the Made-in-Nigeria Challenge, which is a part of the Senates strategy to bring Nigerians into the business of law making, more efforts will be channelled into ensuring that government agencies comply with the newly amended Public Procurement Act, 2016. Omisore is Special Assistant to the Senate President on New Media.
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