The Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, has emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to pivot from consumption to production as part of comprehensive economic reforms aimed at restoring investor confidence and achieving sustainable growth.

Speaking at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Lagos Province 35 Economic Outlook summit, Enoh outlined what he described as the most comprehensive economic reforms Nigeria has witnessed in decades, emphasising that predictability, not perfection, remains the cornerstone of sustainable business growth.

He highlighted that the recent tax reforms focus on simplification, consolidation and predictability, with older overlapping levies being streamlined into a unified framework.

“The significance is simple: whoever understands the new system can predict cash flows, plan investments better, and allow businesses to focus on growth,” Enoh explained.

The minister revealed that the present administration inherited an economy shaped by critical structural deficiencies, including import dependency, a lagging revenue base, low investment relative to GDP and a fragmented taxation system that collectively undermined competitiveness and stifled industrial growth.

Central to the government’s industrialisation strategy is the operationalisation of the Nigeria-First policy through strategic public procurement frameworks. Enoh said ongoing high-level engagements between his ministry and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) focus on five to six critical sectors, including textiles and apparel, automotive manufacturing, medical equipment, furniture and information technology.

Using the automotive sector as a case study, Enoh illustrated the policy’s potential impact, saying: “Every day when I leave Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings, what do I see? It is like an international motor fair for Toyota. Yet, if you tell Toyota that unless it establishes plants in our country, no government department or agency will buy Toyota, it makes sense because the Nigerian market is critical to it.”

The minister argued that government procurement represents a powerful but historically underutilised tool for industrial development, noting that predictable government demand could attract private investment and accelerate domestic value-chain growth.

He said that in his interactions with manufacturers nationwide, a consistent concern has repeatedly been raised by the private sector.

“One manufacturer told me recently: ‘Honourable minister, I do not need everything to be perfect. I just need things to be predictable’. That sentence alone captured the essence of what is required for businesses to innovate, expand and create jobs,” he stressed.

Drawing lessons from global industrialisation success stories, Enoh cited Bangladesh and Vietnam as examples of countries that achieved manufacturing competitiveness not through perfect infrastructure but by building predictability and focused value chains.

“Bangladesh became a global garment leader because it created predictability and competitiveness. We are trying similar approaches to grow exports and create jobs,” he said.

The minister stressed that 2026 must mark the year when reforms translate into tangible outcomes: job creation, stronger industries, increased competitiveness and employment opportunities needed to power Nigeria’s economy for generations to come.

“We need to create those jobs that will power our economy, that will strengthen our country and our nation for generations to come,” Enoh declared, emphasising that converting Nigeria’s demographic advantage into economic prosperity requires intentional policy execution and unwavering commitment to industrialisation.