Manufacturers have warned that multiple taxation, regulatory bottlenecks and policy uncertainty are threatening the survival of businesses and deterring investment in Nigeria’s industrial sector.
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These concerns were raised at the 2026 Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors Business Luncheon organised by the Ikeja Branch of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Lagos, where industry leaders examined the theme: ‘From Policy to Practice: Navigating Regulatory Friction in Lagos Industrial Ecosystem.’
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Chairman, MAN Ikeja Branch, Thomas Osobu, observed that many manufacturers are struggling to remain in operation as rising costs, multiple regulatory demands and policy inconsistencies continue to undermine business sustainability.

According to him, manufacturers continued to operate in a difficult business environment characterised by infrastructure deficits, foreign exchange pressures, energy challenges and policy implementation gaps.
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Despite the sector’s role in economic growth and employment creation, he identified multiplicity of taxes and policy inconsistency as some of the most pressing challenges confronting them.
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Also, former MAN chairman, Sam Ohuabunwa, described regulatory friction as one of the biggest obstacles to industrial growth, arguing that manufacturers were increasingly burdened by overlapping regulatory demands, inspections and levies.

Ohuabunwa explained that despite repeated commitments by the government to improve ease-of-doing business, they continued to battle customs delays, multiple inspections and overlapping regulatory requirements that increase costs and disrupt operations.
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Ohuabunwa noted that regulatory agencies, which should primarily focus on consumer protection and standards enforcement, often created additional costs and delays for businesses through overlapping responsibilities and discretionary actions.
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”Policy says there is one government, practice says 20 desks. There are about 20 regulators in one factory.

‘They come every day or every other day and this uncertainty creates difficulty for people to invest their money because investment wants to go where there is predictability,” he lamented.
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He warned that frequent policy shifts and inconsistent implementation create uncertainty for investors, making it difficult for businesses to plan operations, manage costs and commit long-term capital.
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He urged manufacturers to strengthen compliance systems, improve documentation and engage more actively through industry associations to address regulatory challenges collectively.

He also called for stronger advocacy by the organised private sector to influence reforms that support industrial growth.

Ohuabunwa noted that Lagos remained central to Nigeria’s industrial development, estimating that the state accounts for about 30 per cent of the country’s manufacturing output.
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Stakeholders at the forum also stressed the need for greater collaboration between government, regulators and manufacturers to reduce regulatory overlaps, improve policy implementation and create a more competitive environment for industrial development.