Reviving made in Nigeria products with focus on high quality

Last Tuesday, a tweet that emanated from the official twitter handle of Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, informed followers that “it is now too expensive to go to London, Dubai and America. Come and holiday in Yankari!” The tweet was signed off with the now globally popular hashtag #BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira.

A few minutes after the governor’s tweet, Nigerian Senator Ben Murray Bruce tweeted pictures of his new brand of Innoson cars which he claimed to have bought with his personal money and will become his official vehicles. He could possibly be the first member of the National Assembly whose official car is made in Nigeria.

The need to promote Nigerian products is no longer a cliché. It has become the preferred solution adduced by many analysts to revive the fledgling economy. Since the beginning of the year, the country’s stock exchange took a nosedive following recurrent low oil prices plus a local currency that is on a free-fall against the dollar. Foreign products that used to flock the markets are becoming scarce and out of reach for the poor and most of the middle class families. Importers are finding it extremely difficult to access foreign exchange to bring in goods. A significant number have since looked to other sources for sustenance.

The current reality of the economy is mostly responsible for the momentum the campaign is gaining particularly among the elite and political class. The hashtag #BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira, said to have been created by Nigerian author, Peregrino Brimah has become a rallying cry to save the naira by patronising Nigerian products and Nigerians are responding. Leaders like Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Senator Stella Oduah, and Senator Rafiu Ibrahim have used it countless times to express their support for Nigerians products.

Quality, however, is one issue that resonant whenever local products are put to the test. No surprise, it has also been a tough sale for the champions of the campaign. “The noise is healthy, at least it shows people are willing to support the economy,” says Roseline Onyema, a legal practitioner, who buys most of her clothes from a foreign online shopping platform.

“The reality is different. Many of the people supporting the campaign prefer foreign products. And one of the reasons why many people are not buying made-in-Nigeria products is quality.” Fake and substandard products are two qualities that are often associated with locally made products. “You can’t compel me to buy a local product that is below the standards I look for in a foreign product,” she noted.

At a summit recently, Biodun Adedipe remarked that “Nigerians’ love for foreign goods is unqualified. Even when prices go up Nigerians would still want to buy because most of them just love to show they can buy it.”

Onyema believes it is still a question of quality “Honestly, there is nothing wrong with buying foreign goods; you can’t compare their products with what our people produce. I think many manufacturers here are always in a hurry to make profit hence they compromise quality for gains.”

For obvious reasons, Aba is a major force in the production and supply of local products in the market. Many have described the town as the Tokyo of Nigeria. To buttress the importance of Aba in driving patronage of local content, a Made-in-Aba fair was recently organised in the nation’s capital, Abuja. On display were various goods produced exclusively with locally-sourced raw materials and manufacturing equipments. Nigerian senators used the opportunity to see for themselves what the Aba industry was capable of.

But can the products be vouched for good quality? “Anytime I buy a shoe made in Aba, I will first take it to a shoemaker to pad the sole before I attempt wearing it. If I don’t, that shoe may not last for two months. But they are usually very cheap.” Godspower Okechukwu, a trader around Obalende market said.

Encouraging Nigerians to buy Nigerian products holds great potential for the economy.
“The first,” says Denise Afam, a financial expert, “is to grow the economy by encouraging the industries producing in Nigeria. The more Nigerians that are invested in the economy, the better the chance of survival and possible prosperity. We Nigerian have to own the economy; we cannot allow foreigners to dictate how we run our money. Second, local manufacturers will pay tax which the government can use to provide needed infrastructure and other social amenities. Third, it will create employment which is key to growth and development in every economy. Fourth, the employed workers will pay tax which also grows our revenue.”

Perhaps, the biggest boost should come from the announcement made recently by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment that the ministry would soon launch a nationwide campaign to encourage Nigerians to patronize goods made in Nigeria.

Afam believes it is the right step in the right direction as more Nigerians will get on board if the message goes beyond the pages and becomes actionable, “let people actually see government officials using products made in Nigeria. Ben Bruce has set the tone by investing his money; other lawmakers can toe the line. Beyond that, the pronouncement by Saraki that the National Assembly is working on amending the Procurement Law is a welcome development. The amendment should make it compulsory for public officers to use only made-in-Nigeria goods during their period in office.”

However, Osinachi Gilbert, an analyst, is of the opinion that the message should not just focus on patronage; rather the ministry should also enforce compliance with quality and standards. “Most Nigerian manufacturers know how to take undue advantage of a desperate situation. In the event the Federal Government leads the campaign, the local manufacturer may want to seize the opportunity to mass-produce and in the event compromise on quality.”

While reacting to a follower who expressed concern about low quality, Senator Ben Bruce replied that the quality will markedly improve by the time many more Nigerian leaders begin to pay more attention to the products. Debo Adejugbe a follower puts it better though “Quality is very important. One way the message can make absolute sense is to work tirelessly to deliver quality.”

 

FRANK ELEANYA