The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and other stakeholders in the economy on Thursday began the validation exercise preparatory to the Organisation’s country program for Nigeria.
The program that is expected to commence July 1 this year after final approval by President Muhammadu Buhari will cost about $50m.
The UNIDO Representative in Nigeria and Regional Director, Mr Jean Bakole, while speaking at the validation workshop in Abuja said the program would direct UNIDO’s interventions in Nigeria from 2018 to 2022.
He said the program was formulated based on the prevailing challenges of the economy and the urgent need to stimulate growth and diversify the economy.
Bakole added that it would be implemented within the framework of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and the Nigeria’s Industrial Revolution Plan.
He said the program would be implemented under nine components.
He gave them as industrial governance, research and statistics program; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises development program; special economic zones, industrial parks and private sector development program; and innovation, science and technology management program.
Others are agro-industry and agribusiness development program; trade capacity building program; renewable energy development program; and environmental management program.
He also called on the Federal Government to support the country program, adding that in the last country program, the government provided $10m as support to its implementation.
He said, “This new country program which will cover 2018 to 2022 is a program for provisional amount of $50m. We are relying on the strong support of the Federal Government.
“As Nigeria shows a good example in the sector, we are also sending a message to our international partners and financial institutions to support Nigeria to move ahead on this particular sector.
“This sector will help to create more jobs for the country, the ECOWAS region and the continent. We think that Nigeria is going to play a very important role and that is why a number of sectors have been targeted by this country program.”
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar who also spoke at the event assured of government’s support to the implementation of the country program.
Abubakar who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Edet Akpan said the program would help to address the unfavorable business climate such as poor energy access, environmental degradation and climate change.
He described the country program as timely as it was coming when the government is pursuing an economic diversification program through aggressive implementation of the ERGP.
He described the first country program that was implemented by UNIDO as very successful, adding that the government would support the second program to achieve the objectives as captured in the ERGP.
“The program will impact the economy because currently we have a lot of industries that are down but with this initiative that also include special economic zones, quite a lot of activities would be revived and the industrial production capacity will increase and create more jobs and wealth for the nation,” he added.
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