•Pic: Dr Ifeanyi Eric Okoye
Two weeks after Dr Ifeanyi Eric Okoye emerged as the 12th president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the ministers overseeing Nigeria’s industrial sector are yet to publicly acknowledge his election, raising questions about the government’s engagement with the country’s organised manufacturing sector.
Okoye was elected at MAN’s 54th Annual General Meeting held on October 7, 2026, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lagos, succeeding Otunba Francis Meshioye, who completed his four-year tenure.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, and the Minister of State for Industry, Dr John Enoh, are yet to issue a public congratulatory message to the new MAN president, based on the information available for this report.
Although the ministers may be occupied with other official responsibilities, an official statement congratulating Okoye through the ministry’s media and communications channels would have been a straightforward way to acknowledge the new leadership of an association representing the interests of manufacturers across Nigeria.
MAN is a major private-sector stakeholder in the country’s industrial development, providing a platform for manufacturers to engage the government on policies affecting production, investment, employment, taxation, foreign exchange and the broader business environment.
Recognition of its new leadership would therefore have offered an opportunity for the ministry to reaffirm its commitment to constructive engagement with the manufacturing community at a time when local industries face significant operational and economic challenges.
The absence of a public congratulatory message from the industry ministry, if confirmed, presents a missed opportunity to signal support for the association’s new leadership and reinforce the government’s partnership with the private sector.
Profile Of The New MAN President
Okoye is the chief executive officer of Juhel Nigeria Limited, a wholly indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing company headquartered in Enugu, Enugu State.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in Pharmaceutical Technology and Industrial Pharmacy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He reportedly graduated as the best student in his class.He established Juhel Nigeria Limited in 1987, building the company into a Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturing business.In December 1989, the company moved to its permanent site in Emene, Enugu.
It subsequently expanded its manufacturing capacity to include syrups and capsules in 2001 before opening a major parenteral manufacturing facility in Awka, Anambra State, in 2010.
His emergence as MAN president places him at the helm of an influential industry association whose relationship with the Federal Government is critical to efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing, attract investment and expand Nigeria’s industrial base.
