Experts see Nigeria as next global manufacturing hub

Nigeria's leading manufacturing experts will meet for the inaugural Nigeria Manufacturing Expo in Lagos in March, which will be launched in response to the government's commitment to industrialisation and Nigeria's need to diversify. The event is hosted by Event Patrons, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in partnership with Spintelligent Pty and Clarion Events Ltd, African event specialists and organisers of the West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC).

"There is more to Nigeria than oil", says Russell Hughes, Director of the Nigeria Manufacturing Expo. "Last year Nigerian imports of food processing and packaging machinery increased over 20% to $365 million, plastics and rubber products grew by 23.8% and $7.4bn was spent on importing vehicle and automotive parts along with The National Automotive Council (NAC) disbursing $46m in loans aimed at developing local production."

As President Buhari stated during his first visit to the US last month, "We are the most populous nation and largest market in Africa with vast human and natural resources, blessed with abundant young skilled workforce."

"There is no other way to expand economic opportunities and create employment opportunities for millions of our youths than boosting domestic manufacturing, undertaking infrastructural development and industrialization"

More information and market reports available - www.nigeriamanufacturingexpo.com/market-report

Official Annual Trade Fair for the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN)

Launched following the official signing of the MoU with MAN on 10^th June, 2015, the 'Nigeria Manufacturing Expo' featuring mPAD (Manufacturing Partnerships for African Development) will be held in Lagos, March 15 - 17, 2016.

"It will be an international platform to showcase manufacturing machines, facilitate re-tooling, build capacity of plant managers, stimulate investment and promote made-in-Nigeria products in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP)", says Remi Ogunmefun, Director General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). "We will mobilize MAN members and other stakeholders on the manufacturing value chain to participate in the exhibition"

Invitations to over 2,000 MAN members and automated production equipment resellers and distributors from West Africa will be issued in order to meet with over 100 international automated production machinery suppliers who will be showcasing their equipment and technologies as exhibitors.

Examples of some of the automated production machinery available for evaluation and purchase by manufacturers visiting the Trade Fair include drives, motors, cams, sensors, switches, control units, robotic arms, conveyors, m-2-m comms, on-time logistics, warehousing and much more.

There will also be funding support & financing products made available for machinery acquisition with Bank of Industry (BOI), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and various private sector banks having been invited as Event Partners to support local SME manufacturers to apply for the capital required to finance their factory upgrades, modernise their facilities and improve their manufacturing quality.

Free training will be provided for plant managers, procurement officers, technicians and engineers to help develop their careers in the manufacturing sector, up skill their teams, increase their output and become more competitive locally and internationally via a series of Seminars held on the Expo floor.

Driving growth through manufacturing excellence & automated production

The objectives of the event are to attract FDI, support the NIRP, increase local production, support job creation and ultimately stimulate the growth and diversification of the Nigeria economy for self-reliance and export of non-oil and gas products.

To help achieve this, co-located at the annual MAN event will be a series of invitation only round table discussions known as 'mPAD', designed for Nigeria Industry, Trade & Investment Ministry and ECOWAS Officials, MAN Executive Committee Members, C-level executives, Trade and Export Councils as well as top level Industrialists and Financiers.

mPAD (Manufacturing Partnerships for African Development) an agenda will include;

- Industrial clustering

- Synchronizing value and supply chains

- Factory financing mechanisms

- ECOWAS trading zone

- NIRP

- Technical workforce training/capacity building

- Infrastructure and Energy Security