Economy
Nigeria’s Manufacturing Output Rises 1.7% to N7.78trn Amid Challenges
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has revealed that real manufacturing output in the country increased modestly by 1.7 per cent year-on-year to N7.78 trillion amid prevailing challenges.
The Director-General of MAN, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, in a report titled MAN Economic Review- Second Half 2024, said the focus manufacturing indicators included capacity utilisation, production value, inventory, local raw materials utilisation levels, investment, expenditure on alternative energy sources among others.
MAN also said capacity utilisation improved marginally to 57.0 per cent in the second half of 2024, up from 55.1 per cent in the same period of 2023.
A half-on-half analysis showed a 1.2 percentage point increase in H2 2024 compared to H1 2024.
According to him, the development is buoyed by increased activity in motor vehicles and miscellaneous assembly, non-metallic mineral products, and electrical and electronics.
He, however, noted a half-on-half decline of 3.1 per cent in real production reflected rising costs and weak consumer demand.
“Nominal manufacturing output rose sharply by 34.9 per cent to N33.43 trillion, primarily due to inflationary pressures and rising domestic prices,” he said.
The MAN DG said the manufacturing sector’s local raw material sourcing increased to 57.1 per cent in 2024, up from 52.0 per cent in 2023.
This shift, he stated, was largely driven by foreign exchange scarcity, high import costs, and government incentives promoting local content.
Mr Ajayi-Kadir declared improvements observed in wood and wood products, textiles, apparel and footwear, and chemical and pharmaceuticals.
He said the electrical and electronics sector continued to lag due to dependency on imported components.
On the downside, the manufacturing expert noted that inventory of unsold finished goods surged by 87.5 per cent to N2.14 trillion in 2024.
He attributed the drive to weakened consumer demand, escalating production costs, and declining purchasing power.
He, however, said that a half-on-half decrease of 27.9 per cent in H2 2024 suggested improved clearance efforts and price adjustments.
He added that the country’s real manufacturing investment fell by 35.3 per cent year-on-year to N658.81 billion in 2024, reflecting economic uncertainty and reduced expansion plans.
“However, H2 2024 witnessed a 19.4 per cent increase compared to H1 2024, as manufacturers cautiously resumed capital expenditures.
“The employment situation in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector remained relatively stable in 2024, with 34,769 jobs added, a 1.8 per cent increase from 34,163 jobs in 2023.
“However, the number of employees leaving manufacturing companies also increased from 17,364 in 2023 to 17,949 in 2024, indicating ongoing labour mobility due to economic uncertainties, skill migration, and company restructuring,” he said.
Mr Ajayi-Kadir also said that electricity supply situation for industries improved in 2024, with the average daily supply increasing to 13.3 hours per day, up from 10.6 hours in 2023.
He stated that on a half-on-half basis, electricity supply rose from 11.4 hours per day in H1 2024 to 15.2 hours in H2 2024.
The MAN DG, however, noted that electricity tariffs surged by over 200 per cent for Band A consumers, significantly increasing manufacturing costs.
“In response to unreliable grid power and increases in prices of diesel and fuel manufacturers’ total expenditure on alternative energy sources surged to N1.11 trillion, a 42.3 per cent increase from N781.68 billion in 2023.
“On a half-on-half basis, manufacturers spent N404.80 billion in H1 2024, which increased by 75.0 per cent to N708.07 billion in H2 2024,” he said.
Mr Ajayi-Kadir added that rising interest rates posed a major financial burden, with commercial bank lending rates to manufacturers surging to 35.5 per cent in 2024 from 28.06 per cent in 2023.
“Consequently, manufacturers’ finance costs totalled N1.3 trillion, constraining investment and expansion plans,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom via the British High Commission in Abuja has launched two flagship economic reform programmes – the Nigeria Economic Stability & Transformation (NEST) programme and the Nigeria Public Finance Facility (NPFF) -as part of efforts to support Nigeria’s economic reform and growth agenda.
Backed by a £12.4 million UK investment, NEST and NPFF sit at the centre of the UK-Nigeria mutual growth partnership and support Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen macroeconomic stability, improve fiscal resilience, and create a more competitive environment for investment and private-sector growth.
Speaking at the launch, Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission in Abuja, said, “These two programmes sit at the heart of our economic development cooperation with Nigeria. They reflect a shared commitment to strengthening the fundamentals that matter most for our stability, confidence, and long-term growth.”
The launch followed the inaugural meeting of the Joint UK-Nigeria Steering Committee, which endorsed the approach of both programmes and confirmed strong alignment between the UK and Nigeria on priority areas for delivery.
Representing the Government of Nigeria, Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Finance and the Economy, Mrs Sanyade Okoli, welcomed the collaboration, touting it as crucial to current, critical reforms.
“We welcome the United Kingdom’s support through these new programmes as a strong demonstration of our shared commitment to Nigeria’s economic stability and long-term prosperity. At a time when we are implementing critical reforms to strengthen fiscal resilience, improve macroeconomic stability, and unlock inclusive growth, this partnership will provide valuable technical support. Together, we are laying the foundation for a more resilient economy that delivers sustainable development and improved livelihoods for all Nigerians.”
On his part, Mr Jonny Baxter, British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, highlighted the significance of the programmes within the wider UK-Nigeria mutual growth partnership.
“NEST and NPFF are central to our shared approach to strengthening the foundations that underpin long-term economic prosperity. They sit firmly within the UK-Nigeria mutual growth partnership.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the growth, digital capacity, and sustainability of Nigeria’s 40 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has been signed by MTN Nigeria and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
The collaboration will feature joint initiatives focused on digital inclusion, financial access, capacity building, and providing verified information for MSMEs.
With millions of small businesses depending on accurate guidance and easy-to-access support, MTN and SMEDAN say their shared platform will address gaps in communication, misinformation, and access to opportunities.
At the formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday, November 27, 2025, in Lagos, the stage was set for the immediate roll-out of tools, content, and resources that will support MSMEs nationwide.
The chief operating officer of MTN Nigeria, Mr Ayham Moussa, reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s economic development, stating that MSMEs are the lifeline of Nigeria’s economy.
“SMEs are the backbone of the economy and the backbone of employment in Nigeria. We are delighted to power SMEDAN’s platform and provide tools that help MSMEs reach customers, obtain funding, and access wider markets. This collaboration serves both our business and social development objectives,” he stated.
Also, the Chief Enterprise Business Officer of MTN Nigeria, Ms Lynda Saint-Nwafor, described the MoU as a tool to “meet SMEs at the point of their needs,” noting that nano, micro, small, and medium businesses each require different resources to scale.
“Some SMEs need guidance, some need resources; others need opportunities or workforce support. This platform allows them to access whatever they need. We are committed to identifying opportunities across financial inclusion, digital inclusion, and capacity building that help SMEs to scale,” she noted.
Also commenting, the Director General of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, emphasised the significance of the collaboration, noting that the agency cannot meet its mandate without leveraging technology and private-sector expertise.
“We have approximately 40 million MSMEs in Nigeria, and only about 400 SMEDAN staff. We cannot fulfil our mandate without technology, data, and strong partners.
“MTN already has the infrastructure and tools to support MSMEs from payments to identity, hosting, learning, and more. With this partnership, we are confident we can achieve in a short time what would have taken years,” he disclosed.
Mr Odii highlighted that the SMEDAN-MTN collaboration would support businesses across their growth needs, guided by their four-point GROW model – Guidance, Resources, Opportunities, and Workforce Development.
He added that SMEDAN has already created over 100,000 jobs within its two-year administration and expects the partnership to significantly boost job creation, business expansion, and nationwide enterprise modernisation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited is seeking review of the controversial Capital Gains Tax increase, fearing it will chase away foreign investors from the country’s capital market.
Nigeria’s new tax regime, which takes effect from January 1, 2026, represents one of the most significant changes to Nigeria’s tax system in recent years.
Under the new rules, the flat 10 per cent Capital Gains Tax rate has been replaced by progressive income tax rates ranging from zero to 30 per cent, depending on an investor’s overall income or profit level while large corporate investors will see the top rate reduced to 25 per cent as part of a wider corporate tax reform.
The chief executive of NGX, Mr Jude Chiemeka, said in a Bloomberg interview in Kigali, Rwanda that there should be a “removal of the capital gains tax completely, or perhaps deferring it for five years.”
According to him, Nigeria, having a higher Capital Gains Tax, will make investors redirect asset allocation to frontier markets and “countries that have less tax.”
“From a capital flow perspective, we should be concerned because all these international portfolio managers that invest across frontier markets will certainly go to where the cost of investing is not so burdensome,” the CEO said, as per Bloomberg. “That is really the angle one will look at it from.”
Meanwhile, the policy has been defended by the chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, who noted that the new tax will make investing in the capital market more attractive by reducing risks, promoting fairness, and simplifying compliance.
He noted that the framework allows investors to deduct legitimate costs such as brokerage fees, regulatory charges, realised capital losses, margin interest, and foreign exchange losses directly tied to investments, thereby ensuring that they are not taxed when operating at a loss.
Mr Oyedele also said the reforms introduced a more inclusive approach to taxation by exempting several categories of investors and transactions.
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