WHY WE SHOULD ALL "BUY MADE-IN-NIGERIA GOODS"

You can contact the writer of this article: OluwaSegunFunmi Icon, ( 08107916722@ Whatsapp and Ayomide Temitope on Facebook).
                                                               
While citizens in developed countries value and patronise their  products, most Nigerians prefer products, goods and services  from overseas.The average Nigerian  has a mentality that any product such as automobiles i.e cars

, specialty  products i.e expensive champagne and celebrity hair care  experts, fabricated parts and materials i.e batteries, roofing sheets and  whindshields admist other classification of products can only be good  enough for consumption when they are foreign products.
During Nigeria's first and second republics,(1960-1966,1979- 1983),agriculture was the major revenue generator of the country. "made- in-Nigeria" products were common with Nigerians as everyone patronised  local industries and there was a high purchase of products churned out  from these factories,situated in different industrial estates across the  country. However, most of these manufacturing firms have either gone  moribound, or barely managing to survive due to the harsh business climate  in the country since the third republic(1989-1993), which also includes  the current fourth republic (1999-till date). It is very important at this  juncture to state the fact that patronage of "made-in-Nigeria" goes  beyond the symbolism of wearing locally produced dresses.
Recent surveys have firmly established the fact that, Nigerians dislike  indigenously manufactured products,while most of those who patronise the locally  produced ones do so only because they lack the economic wherewithal to  purchase expensive imported ones. Even the government officials are big  fans of foreign products and services. From healthcare to gift items  distributed at celebration events,government officials have developed a  conception for foreign goods as a specialty product:they have no locally  made acceptable substitute for foreign goods-whatever products it  is,foreign must it be!The government,which is one of the biggest  financial agencies in the country (if not ultimately the biggest)  allocates billions of naira in the yearly budget to import foreign products such as automobiles  i.e cars and other materials in each states' government house and  office,especially the state house in Abuja rather than patronise a bit,if not  all from those manufactured in the country and then,this very lack of  patronage by the government which is one of the biggest spender in the country  has really impacted the economy and the G.D.P (Gross Domestic Product)  negatively.All the talk of patronising locally manufactured goods is not  being matched with action on the part of governmental officials.A typical example of this fact is that nearly  every product consumed at key government offices is being imported.Most  Nigerians allege that local manufacturers cut corners to enable them  minimize cost and maximise revenue,while other producers do not use the  right quantity and quality of raw materials,thus in both cases,leads to  the production of sub-standard products.
Nigeria is a foreign dependent country and over-dependence on foreign  products will not help.Recent statistics have revealed that lack of  patronisation of locally produced goods serve as the backdrop to the  failure of indigenous businesses which leads to unpredicted job losses  and ultimately leads to an increase in the rate of unemployment.If  Nigerians are really serious about the need to salvage the economy and  revive it back into the vibrant stage it was under Awolowo and  Azikiwe,who in their days of being premier of the Western and Eastern  regions respectively, used agriculture as the mainstay of the economy and encouraged massive patronage of  locally manufactured products.The Cocoa house in Ibadan,The University Of  Nigeria,Nsukka,The first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria  Television (WNTV) now Nigeria Television Authority (NTA),admist other  historical infrastructures are testimony to this cause-their evidence for  posterity,then there is no more auspicious time than now for Nigerians to get started with reviving the economy, and one major  approach of salvaging the economy is to revive local industries and  encourage massive patronisation of locally manufactured goods and  services.This current Nigeria's economic situation,occassioned by the  dwindling price of oil in the global market since the world powers who  purchase oil have diversified into using other forms of energy, majorly  solar and electric energy.This has clearly indicated that it is equally  time for Nigeria to diversify from oil into agriculture and  then,massively encourage the patronage of locally produced goods and  services.
It is however encouraging to note that, the federal government is  currently working out plans to diversify the economy into agriculture,  and more importantly promote the production and consumption of locally  manufactured products.Aside providing solutions to the societal menance  of unemployment in the country,that is,revival of indigenous industries  will generate massive employment opportunities in various sectors of the  economy,such as,textiles,agriculture,leather and clothing admist  other sectors,it will also usher Nigerians into the path of the economic prosperity  so much desired by Nigerians.

The government should advocate a policy that  will embark on an aggressive campaign and national support for "made-in- Nigeria" products.This will strenghten the economy and help in  positioning the country for self-sufficiency.In encouraging patronage of  locally produced goods and services,Manufacturers will be challenged to  invest in the right level of technology required to improve the quality  of Nigerian goods to international standard and to combat quality and  standard issues.Nigerians can be made to patronise locally made goods and  services by making locally made products durable and reliable for the  common man,also of a high quality that can equally compete with its  foreign counterparts.
The Central Bank Of Nigeria is also trying their best through restricting  foreign exchange of goods that are being massively produced in  Nigeria.The Central Bank Of Nigeria,in conjunction with each state and  the Federal governments should help in equipping and providing  loans,financial subsidies and support for these manufacturers by placing  embargoes on products that the locally produced ones are of high  quality.Government officials should lead by the example of patronising  locally produced goods.The plethora of this article lies in this concept  : "MADE-IN-NIGERIA PRODUCTS:THE ULTIMATE MECHANISM FOR THE REVIVAL OF THE  ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SOCIETAL DEVELOPMENT."
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