By Merit Ibe
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the Federal Government to ensure that materials for the Lagos Airport perimeter fencing project are sourced from competent local manufacturers, in line with the “Nigeria First” policy and existing executive orders on local content.
According to MAN’s Director General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, the appeal is not intended to influence the award of the contract but is a patriotic call for government to align procurement decisions with national interest, thereby safeguarding the economy and the wellbeing of Nigerians.
Ajayi-Kadir stressed that in procuring Clear Vu fencing for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, indigenous manufacturers should be given priority over foreign suppliers.
“This is regarding the ongoing procurement process for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Operational Perimeter Fencing and Security Surveillance Project, as reported in a national daily entitled ‘FEC approves complete renovation of Lagos airport, others,’” he said.
While commending the Federal Government’s efforts to upgrade critical infrastructure, the MAN boss emphasized that the project must strictly adhere to Executive Orders 003 and 005, as well as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Nigeria First Policy.
He acknowledged the competence of foreign manufacturers but insisted that Nigerian companies have the proven capacity and technical expertise to produce fencing materials of equal—if not superior—quality to global standards.
“The Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, recently reaffirmed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has rekindled the confidence of Nigerian manufacturers,” Ajayi-Kadir noted.
“This policy builds on earlier Executive Orders 003 and 005, which mandate the prioritization of locally manufactured goods and services in public procurement.”
He warned that importing fencing materials for the Lagos Airport project would not only undermine government’s policy but also deny the country several critical benefits.
These include job creation for Nigerian youths and skilled workers, foreign exchange savings at a time of severe forex pressure, increased tax revenues, and a strengthened industrial base that enhances national security through self-reliance.
Ajayi-Kadir recalled that in similar projects in the past, Nigerian manufacturers were sidelined despite MAN’s advocacy.
“In this particular instance, despite MAN’s intervention, fencing materials for an airport project were imported from South Africa,” he lamented. “That decision discouraged local industries and contradicted the government’s stated local content policies.”
He maintained that the Lagos Airport fencing project now presents the government with a clear opportunity to correct past errors.
“We strongly believe that this administration has the opportunity to correct past mistakes,” he said. “The Lagos Airport fencing project presents a chance to demonstrate that the Nigeria First Policy is not just an aspiration, but an intentional government policy that will be matched with unfettered implementation.”
Ajayi-Kadir reiterated MAN’s commitment to supporting the government in implementing the Nigeria First Policy and advancing inclusive growth.
“MAN therefore calls on the Federal Government to urgently intervene by ensuring that the fencing materials for the Lagos Airport are sourced from competent Nigerian manufacturers. This is not a call to influence the award of the contract, but a patriotic appeal to align procurement decisions with national interest for the collective benefit of our economy and wellbeing of the people,” he concluded.
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