FG Mandates MDAs to Prioritise Local Goods, Services

Samuel Mobolaji

The federal government is set to force government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to exhaust all local options before considering foreign alternatives for goods or services.

The move is intended to boost local production, create jobs, and preserve the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

To this end, the government recently launched a reform policy to strengthen local industries through its ‘Nigeria First’ policy, which focuses on simplifying procurement processes and prioritising local manufacturers in government patronage.

Speaking on this development, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole said, the policy is part of broader reforms to make doing business in Nigeria easier and more efficient. Highlighting the policy’s broader goals, the minister said, the government is tackling regulatory and bureaucratic barriers that slow business growth.

Schemes like the National Single Window Project, Export Expansion Grant, and the Single Digit Credit scheme are already being deployed to ease challenges for manufacturers and exporters.

Next month’s domestic investors’ summit will focus on supporting middle-scale manufacturers and industrialists, who she described as critical players in driving Nigeria’s expansion across the African continent through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Business management tools.

She emphasised that patronising Nigerian goods must go beyond slogans and become a deliberate strategy to strengthen the economy.

According to her, while Nigeria operates under global trade rules that discourage discrimination, the country must still be intentional about backing its industries. The minister pointed out that despite an existing executive bill on local content, MDAs sometimes neglect to apply it.

She said, Executive Order 001 is already tracking compliance across all MDAs, including agencies within her ministry, and that enforcement will be strengthened through performance metrics reviewed quarterly by the Central Coordinating Delivery Unit.

While calling on Nigerians, both in the public and private sectors, to prioritise buying in every activity—business or personal, she also addressed scepticism around government procurement, noting that some businesses hesitate to participate in tenders due to perceptions of bias.

She urged companies to engage in the process, assuring that the government wants a transparent and inclusive system. Business management tools

Responding to concerns about the high cost of local goods compared to imports, she warned that favouring cheaper foreign products could turn Nigeria into a dumping ground, as many countries now struggle to access U.S. and European markets.

Instead, she advocated a more committed local consumption culture, even if it comes at a slightly higher cost, to protect Nigerian jobs and businesses.

The minister also revealed that official data will soon confirm growing demand for Nigerian products across Africa, underlining the need to expand continental access for local goods and boost foreign exchange earnings.