Nigeria spent N7trn on importation of consumables, household items in 2015 - Minister

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, has said that about N7 trillion was spent on the importation of consumables and household items into the country in 2015.

The minister stated this at a stakeholders meeting on ‘Buy Made-inNigeria products’ in Kano. The event was organised by her ministry in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

Mrs. Abubakar said the amount being spent on importation of goods was unacceptable, hence the national orientation to change the perception of Nigerians towards patronizing locally made products.

“In 2015 alone, over N6.7 trillion was spent on the importation of goods and services for which the nation can produce locally. About N1.09 trillion was reportedly spent on imported foods and drinks; N1.5 trillion on spare-parts; N123.01 billion on shoes and clothes and N399 billion on household items. Imagine if this had been spent on our local industries,” she said.

She said in government’s determination to encourage the patronage of Madein-Nigeria products by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, signed the Executive Order 3, aimed at ensuring that 40 per cent of goods procured by government agencies are made locally.

She therefore urged Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises to register on the website of the Bureau for Public Procurement to enable them to take advantage of the provisions of the Executive Order 3.

“As part of the implementation of the Executive Order 3, Made-in-Nigeria products shall be given preference in the procurement of the following items: uniforms and footwear, food and beverages, stationary, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals and construction materials,” she said.