The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) expects the manufacturing sector to grow by 3.1 per cent in 2026, provided the government implements supportive and consistent policies.
At the 10th MAN Media Personality Awards and Presidential Media Luncheon in Lagos, MAN President Francis Meshioye stated that the sector could contribute over 10 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if structural challenges are properly tackled.
He noted that while the broader outlook for Nigeria’s economy in 2026 remains positive, realising manufacturing growth would depend on policy alignment with industry needs.
According to MAN, priority areas for engagement include sustained capital expenditure that supports industrial activity, access to affordable and reliable energy, expansion of long-term low-cost financing, and the reduction of excessive taxation and regulatory pressures.
“To achieve this aspiration, our advocacy will focus squarely on what matters most to industry. This includes securing affordable energy, expanding access to long-term low-cost funds, restraining excessive taxation and regulatory burdens, and ensuring policy consistency and predictability,” he said.
The association also stressed the need for consistency and predictability in government policy, stronger patronage of made-in-Nigeria products, and continued investment in critical infrastructure such as power and transport networks. MAN identified gas-to-power solutions, grid modernisation, and the expansion of credit intervention programmes as critical enablers of competitiveness.
Meshioye further stated that MAN would adopt a more structured and evidence driven advocacy approach in 2026, with deeper engagement with government on budget priorities, data-backed policy proposals, and stronger collaboration with the organised private sector.
The MAN president cautioned against allowing early political activities to distract from economic management, emphasising that manufacturing remains central to job creation, export growth, innovation, and fiscal sustainability.
“There is no doubt that manufacturing remains central to Nigeria’s economic transformation. Manufacturing is about jobs, exports, innovation, and shared prosperity. When manufacturing wins, Nigeria wins,” he said.
According to them, to regulate him, governments should view manufacturing not merely as a sector to regulate but as a strategic partner in Nigeria’s economic transformation.
