Nigerian President, Buhari Says Africa Must Now Pay More Attention To Manufacturing

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Africa must now pay more attention to manufacturing.

He said this in an article published on American magazine, Newsweek.

The Nigerian leader advocated that increased production must top Africa’s post-coronavirus plans.

Buhari noted that what the continent needs is the vision of the global community to match Africa’s.

Assuring that Africa is positioned to play a critical role in the remolding of a post-coronavirus, he stated that he was convinced things will be different henceforth.

Buhari said Africa has seen the West transform to a service-based economy, with much of its factory production relocated primarily to Asia.

He noted that this led to the creation of home-grown consumer goods from countries such as South Korea and China that are enjoyed around the globe as widely as are their Western equivalents.
 

The president added that Africa’s young population is increasingly well-educated and that governance reform is growing in strength in most countries.

He pointed out that Nigeria, a major global oil producer, has established its first private oil refinery, one of the largest in the world.

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“The Mambilla power plant, finally unlocked for completion after a successful decision by the International Court of Arbitration in Paris earlier this year removed impediments, will electrify the homes of some 10 million of our people.”

Buhari said Nigeria can now move forward with road, rail and power station construction being funded with repatriations from the U.S., U.K. and Switzerland.

The president stated that Nigeria already has, and seeks to deepen further relations with other Commonwealth countries—particularly in the interests of trade.

He expressed confidence that the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCTA) will further boost nations’ economies.

Buhari insisted that Africa is an opportunity for all and a threat to no one.

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“We do not seek to grow our manufacturing capabilities in order to grant ourselves a seat at the table of some new great geopolitical game—but merely to play our part as partners in development,”

he added.