NESG to Convene Leaders on Driving Nigeria’s Industrialization at #NES 31
By Patience Ikpeme
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) will invite a diverse group of stakeholders, including industry leaders, policymakers, financiers, development partners, and entrepreneurs, to its 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES #31).
The summit will focus on how Nigeria can build globally competitive industries through innovation, local content development, and enabling infrastructure.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by Ms. Ayanyinka Ayanlowo, Acting Head of Strategic Communication & Advocacy at the NESG, the decision to focus on this theme stems from the belief that “Nigeria’s path to prosperity hinges on its ability to transition from a consumption-driven to a production-based economy.”
Ms. Ayanlowo noted that despite its vast population and natural resources, Nigeria has struggled with deindustrialisation and over-reliance on imports.
She said that industrialisation offers a strategic solution to these challenges by unlocking the country’s manufacturing potential, improving productivity, and strengthening connections across the agriculture, extractive, and service sectors.
To this end, the NESG will also explore how industrial policy can be better aligned with market realities, technological trends, and Nigeria’s demographic advantage.
Under the sub-theme of “Driving Industrialisation-led Growth,” discussions will center on several key areas. Participants will examine ways to modernize Nigeria’s industrial strategies to align with contemporary global and regional trends, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and digital transformation.
The summit will also explore how to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as drivers of innovation and job creation, and promote the development of value chains, particularly in agribusiness, mining, and pharmaceuticals, to boost local content and export potential.
Additionally, discussions will cover leveraging Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to enhance productivity and competitiveness in manufacturing, and identifying innovative financing mechanisms to unlock private sector capital for industrial growth.
The conversations at NES #31 will be guided by the strategic pillars of Reforms, Resilience, and Results. Ms. Ayanlowo explained that the dialogue “will stress the importance of reforming Nigeria’s regulatory and infrastructure landscape to enable industrial take-off. From streamlined business processes and improved power supply to trade facilitation and skills development, Nigeria must build resilient systems that deliver tangible results.”
She added that industrialisation is about more than just factories; it is about “creating a national ecosystem of productivity, where skilled labor, reliable infrastructure, access to finance, and supportive policies work together to generate wealth and economic opportunities for millions.”
The journey, she said, “requires more than rhetoric—it demands intentional collaboration across the public and private sectors. NES #31 presents a unique opportunity for stakeholders to forge partnerships, commit to reform implementation, and co-create a future where Nigeria becomes the industrial powerhouse of West Africa.”
