Nothing local about made-in-Nigeria products — Air Force Chief

The Chief of Air Staff (COAS), Air Marshal Sadeeq Abubakar, at the weekend urged Nigerians to stop tagging products produced in Nigeria as ‘local’.

Abubakar, who spoke during a visit to the Zaria Industries Limited (ZIL), makers of tarpaulins and other related materials, said there was nothing local about the products produced by ZIL, adding that everything he saw was of high quality and meets the standard of the Nigerian Air Force.

He further stated that the Air Force would patronize ZIL’s tarpaulins and other products in line with the Federal Government’s drive to encourage local industries for economic prosperity.

He added: “I am highly impressed by what I have seen here and I have assured the MD that the Nigerian Air Force will patronise their products; they are of high quality. There are so many things that we can get out of this facility that will help us in what we are doing in our training institutions; in our bases and quick response units. I have already directed that we should get all that they are doing and study it.

“The factory would solutions to so many problems confronting provide of the the

Nigerian Air Force. They have quality assurance department, laboratories and so on; it is really incredible we have this kind of industry here in Zaria and we have not been able to take full advantage of it. But with this visit now, we have decided to come at the highest level so that we quickly take decision.”

The Managing Director of ZIL, Alhaji Ilyas Saleh, said the company is the first and only Cotton Canvas Tarpaulin Manufacturer in the whole of the West African subregion.

Saleh said ZIL uses locally sourced cotton to produce high quality tarpaulin fabrics.