Centre unveils plan to raise national productivity by five per cent in 2025

The 2021-2025 strategic plan by the National Productivity Centre (NPC) is intended to raise national productivity by five per cent in the next four years.

The Director-General of the Centre, Dr Kashim Akor, who disclosed this at the launch of the strategic plan in Abuja, explained that the programmes, products and services contained in the plan, are intended to aid the Centre in achieving the planned target of raising the national productivity level by five per cent yearly.

Dr Akor highlighted that the 2021 – 2025 national productivity strategic plan is the third in the series that outlines the strategic vision and goals identified to assist the Centre to realise its potential as well as fulfil its mandate.

“We all know the relevance of a strategic plan. It allows organisations to put in place ideas, programmes and also to outline resources and activities that will enable organisations to actualise their dreams,” he said.

The NPC DG noted that as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, things are not getting back to ‘normal’ any time soon.

He added that the changing dynamics in the Nigerian socio-economic environment underscores the need for resetting strategic thinking and evolving a workable and effective recovery strategic plan, which can serve as a guide in these changing times to create greater impacts and make the Centre financially viable.

His words: “This is a key concern in the ‘new normal in which we are called to operate. Indeed, this new Strategic Plan 2021-2025, which will guide the operations of the Centre over the next five years takes into consideration the impacts/consequences of the current global COVID-19 pandemic as well as the Nigerian economic situation, which is indeed very peculiar and unique.

“The Plan has several initiatives for productivity that are expected to drive innovation, diversification, self-reliance, transformation and value-reorientation and SMEs as well as the informal sector to boost business competitiveness hence the term ‘recovery plan’.

The plan equally aligns with the aspirations of the Federal Government towards the promotion, improvement and productivity in the various economic sectors.”

He maintained that there is no doubt that the 2021-2025 strategic plan is ambitious, saying, “it is aimed at not only repositioning the NPC as the apex Productivity organisation in Nigeria but also to make it a Centre of excellence and innovation. The ambition is a reflection of the urgency to address the challenges of post-COVID-19 and the Nigerian economy and capitalise on opportunities to achieve commensurable impact in the real sector of the economy.”

The NPC boss further stated that the strategic plan represents the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, whose valuable inputs were fully incorporated.

Director, Planning, and Policy Analysis of NPC, Dr Gbenga Bamiduro, said the strategic plan was prepared in line with the emerging medium-term national development plan 2021 to 2025 of the Federal Government.

He highlighted that the strategic plan for the years 2021 – 2025 encapsulates the review of Nigeria’s development prospects and the strategic direction, goals, objectives and aspirations of the NPC.

“The plan also considered a definite strategic direction and plan assumptions from the identified corporate goals which hinges on people, products, processes/practices, and partnerships improvement. The plan priorities and master plan itemised key programmes with a focus on long and short-term objectives. The focus of the Centre’s programmes as designed in the plan is on the industrial, agricultural and service (ICT) sector,” he stated.

The plan contains programmes, products and services distilled from the overall goals and objectives of the Centre with a five-year work plan commencing from the year 2021 up to the year 2025.

He expressed hope that the holistic implementation of the plan document will enable the Centre to achieve its mandate of productivity promotion and leading the productivity movement towards the attainment of higher levels of productivity in all sectors of the Nigerian economy.