By Onwa Ekor
For his patronage of Made in Nigeria products, Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has been conferred with an award by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
The award was presented at the 5th Adeola Odutola Lecture held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, where captains of industry, policymakers, and development partners gathered to celebrate outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s industrial advancement.
Presenting the award to the governor who was represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon Peter Odey, MAN leaders commended Otu’s administration for “walking the talk” on local content development through practical policies and procurement choices that have stimulated domestic manufacturing while creating jobs.
“The Cross River example proves that leadership by example is the most powerful endorsement of the Made-in-Nigeria vision,” a MAN executive stated.
Responding, the governor described the recognition as “a validation of his deliberate and consistent policies to reawaken Nigeria’s productive capacity.”
He noted that his administration’s focus was not merely on consumption but on creating a strong ecosystem where local manufacturers thrive.
“We have shown preference for locally made goods not out of sentiment, but conviction that Nigeria’s future lies in what we produce,” Otu said.
Highlighting tangible examples of his commitment, Otu disclosed that his administration had, within two years, procured about eighty vehicles from Anambra based automobile giant, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM).
“This singular action reflects our belief that Nigerian ingenuity deserves the highest level of state patronage,” he affirmed, disclosing that the state had also purchased over one hundred tractors from an indigenous manufacturing company based in Kwara, Bespoke Design Concepts Ltd.
“Our agricultural mechanization drive is proudly supported by Nigerian-made equipment, showing that local manufacturers can compete on quality and reliability.
“Several of the roads we have completed and those ongoing are being executed by indigenous contractors,” Otu said, stressing that, such empowerment strengthens local capacity, creates employment, and retains capital within Nigeria’s economy.
He reiterated his administration’s resolve to sustain an enabling environment for industry to flourish, noting that tax policies have been reviewed to incentivize local producers.
“Our bias for homegrown solutions is unwavering,” the governor asserted, even as he extended invite to MAN to host its 2026 Annual General Meeting in Calabar,
assuring the group of the state’s full support in advancing the nation’s industrial renaissance.
