The Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at BAT Nigeria, Ruth Owojaiye, spoke during a panel session titled ‘Fixing the Structural Barriers Holding Nigerian Manufacturing Back.’
The occasion was the BusinessDay Manufacturing Conference 2026 in Lagos, which brought together policymakers, investors, industry leaders and development partners
Owojaiye, told participants that the country’s manufacturing challenges stem not from a lack of policies but from weak execution of existing frameworks designed to support industrialisation.
Owojaiye noted that Nigeria has developed several policies aimed at promoting manufacturing and economic growth, including the recently launched Nigeria Industrial Policy.
“The challenge facing Nigeria today is not policy formulation; it is policy execution. We have numerous frameworks designed to support manufacturing, investment and industrial growth. The real question is how quickly and effectively we can translate these policies into tangible outcomes for businesses, investors and the wider economy,” she said.
She identified inadequate power supply as one of the most significant barriers to industrial productivity, stressing that unreliable electricity continues to increase operating costs and reduce the competitiveness of local manufacturers.
According to her, Nigeria requires an estimated 100,000 megawatts of electricity to effectively power its economy but currently generates only about 4,000 to 5,000 megawatts.
“Nigeria’s manufacturing ambitions cannot be realised without addressing the energy challenge. Businesses are increasingly forced to generate their own power to sustain operations. While some large organisations can make substantial investments in alternative energy solutions, many manufacturers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, simply do not have that capacity,” she said.
