By Providence Ayanfeoluwa
THE Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, has called on African countries to strengthen industrial capacity through backward integration and value addition, rather than exporting raw materials.
Speaking during a facility tour of Coleman Technical Industries Limited in Sagamu, Ogun State, Ajayi-Kadir said Africa must develop the capacity to process its abundant natural resources to maximise value and drive economic growth.
He commended Coleman’s backward integration strategy, noting that it aligns with efforts to build stronger industrial value chains across the continent. “Africa must bridge the gap in industrial capacity. Countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo have abundant resources but lack the capacity to maximise their value. What we have seen here fits perfectly into the narrative of building stronger African value chains,” he said.
Ajayi-Kadir described Coleman as a “champion” in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and expressed MAN’s readiness to partner with the company to advance industrial development. He also highlighted Ogun State’s growing status as a major manufacturing hub, noting its increasing competitiveness among industrial centres in Africa.
He said the tour provided insight into Coleman’s growth and its strategic investments in telecommunications and power infrastructure through the production of wires and cables. According to him, the expansion of connectivity across Nigeria has been driven by such investments, with Coleman playing a key role.
Ajayi-Kadir added that the company’s expansion plans across West Africa align with regional integration goals and the need to deepen intra-African industrial collaboration.
He reiterated MAN’s advocacy for policies that prioritise local manufacturing and encourage patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods.
Responding, Chairman of Coleman Technical Industries Limited, Solomon Onafowokan, thanked the delegation, noting that the visit offered firsthand insight into the company’s operations and contributions to Nigeria’s industrial growth.
Onafowokan said the visit provided an opportunity for the association to see firsthand the scale of operations at the Sagamu plant and better understand the company’s contributions to Nigeria’s industrial growth.
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