The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, described African Foundries Limited (AFL) as a critical ally of the Federal Government in implementing Nigeria’s industrial policy.
He said the country’s industrialisation drive cannot succeed without the continued contribution of major local manufacturers, such as the steel producer.
Enoh made these remarks at the weekend during a visit to the AFL steel plant in Ogijo, Ogun State, where he commended the company for its investment in Nigeria’s steel industry, its contribution to employment, and its efforts to promote local value addition.
The minister said the visit was particularly significant because AFL was among the first manufacturing companies to invite him to inspect its operations after he was appointed Minister of State for Industry.
According to him, the company’s resilience in continuing production despite the challenges facing the manufacturing sector demonstrated confidence in Nigeria’s economy.
He said, “I can’t make success of that execution without the continued contribution of African Foundries Limited. This visit from me is an acknowledgement of the work we continue to do.”
Enoh said the Federal Government regarded AFL as an important partner in achieving the objectives of its industrial policy, particularly its plan to significantly increase manufacturing’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He said the Federal Government developed a new Nigerian Industrial Policy in collaboration with the private sector after several years without a comprehensive industrial policy.
The minister said the policy, which was approved by the Federal Executive Council and subsequently launched, was designed to provide a framework for strengthening domestic manufacturing and accelerating industrialisation.
He said the policy seeks to raise manufacturing’s contribution to GDP into double digits, with a longer-term aspiration of reaching 20 per cent and above.
Enoh, however, noted that achieving the target would require a concerted effort from government and the private sector.
He said the manufacturing sector remained central to Nigeria’s industrialisation, noting that the sector’s performance must improve if the country was to achieve sustained industrial growth.
The minister cited National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) figures, which, according to him, showed that Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.48 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, while manufacturing growth stood at 3.24 per cent.
He described the gap as a major challenge for the government and manufacturers.
He said, “That is our common challenge. We’ve got a common challenge. The common challenge is to push that up. We will not industrialise unless we are going to push that figure up.”
Enoh also praised AFL for its role in reducing Nigeria’s dependence on exporting scrap materials and promoting domestic value addition.
He said the company had worked with different levels of government to discourage scrap exports and ensure materials were processed locally for domestic manufacturing.
The minister said the company’s operations demonstrated the importance of developing an integrated steel value chain in Nigeria.
He further commended AFL for what he described as its commitment to quality standards, noting that the company had maintained its position as a significant producer of steel products despite concerns over substandard construction materials and the consequences of building failures in the country.
He said, “I find out, having been thinking through your various processes, quality control and all of that, that when some get to the streets and shut down steel manufacturing companies for some standard steel products because of collapsed buildings here and there, African companies, in return, remain a leader in terms of the standard and the quality of what goes out there from their factory.”
Enoh assured the company that the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment would continue to support and collaborate with manufacturers to address challenges affecting production and expansion.
He said the ministry was willing to engage with AFL on issues that could help the company expand its production capacity and deepen its operations in Nigeria.
The minister also expressed interest in visiting the company’s iron ore facility in Kaduna State, which he said represented a major investment in Nigeria’s industrial sector.
According to him, the investment, reportedly valued at about $600 million, indicated the company owners’ confidence in Nigeria and the potential of the country’s industrial sector.
He said the Kaduna facility could become a flagship operation because of its importance to AFL’s wider production chain.
He said, “I am going to be interested in visiting your Kaduna facility because I found out that it will be a flagship facility in terms of what is produced there and how much it is relevant to your other production facilities.”
Enoh also recalled his first encounter with AFL management during the groundbreaking ceremony of one of its projects in Suleja, Niger State, saying that his decision to attend despite short notice reflected his commitment to his mandate in the industrial sector.
He said manufacturers that had remained in Nigeria despite the difficult operating environment deserved recognition for their contribution to the economy.
The minister said companies that continued to invest, produce and create jobs were important partners in the Federal Government’s efforts to expand employment opportunities and strengthen the productive sector.
Earlier, the Head of Corporate Affairs of African Industries Group (AIG), the parent company of African Foundries Limited (AFL), Taiwo Okeowo, said the company was part of African Industries Group, a manufacturing and trading conglomerate with investments in mining, steel, aluminium, industrial chemicals and energy.
Okeowo said the group had invested significantly in Nigeria over the past 55 years and currently employed more than 14,000 Nigerians directly across its operations.
He added that the company’s activities supported more than 100,000 people through its certified plants and operations spread across eight states.
According to him, AFL operates an integrated steel production chain covering iron ore processing, production of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), steel manufacturing and the production of various steel products for the Nigerian market.
Okeowo described the minister’s visit as recognition of the importance of the steel and manufacturing sectors to Nigeria’s industrialisation.
He appealed to the ministry to continue supporting the company in addressing challenges affecting its operations and expansion.
He said the company considered the ministry an important partner and looked forward to deeper collaboration with the government.
In his remarks, lawyer and Director of African Industries Group (AIG), Barr. Uche Iwuamadi, thanked the minister for visiting the facility and acknowledged his engagement with the group’s operations.
He also described Enoh as a minister who had demonstrated commitment to the industrial sector and expressed the group’s hope for continued engagement with the government.
The visit included an inspection of parts of AFL’s production facilities and a presentation on the company’s operations and those of the wider African Industries Group.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
