The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has promised to support Federal Government’s efforts aimed at promoting value addition and sustainable diversification of productive activities for economic growth and poverty reduction. The areas UNIDO would partner with the government, according to Jean Bakole, UNIDO’s representative to ECOWAS and Regional Director, Nigeria Regional Office include the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country building capacity for trade and promoting local and Foreign Direct Investments.
Bakole said during the Management Retreat organized with UNIDO’s support for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in Makurdi, Benue State that UNIDO intends to intensify its activities in Nigeria as well as expand its scope into other sectors such as the mining and creative industries, Information Technology initiatives for youth, digital technology, and others to concretely support the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan in line with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.
UNIDO’s mandate towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID), Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 of the Agenda 2030 that focuses on building resilient infrastructure, which promotes inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation that could launch the third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA-III) were well reflected in the strategic documents of the Federal Government.
“We have taken note of the vision of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment which aims to create an enabling environment for industrialization, facilitate the development of both hard and soft infrastructure, promote proactively local and foreign direct investments and strengthen ties with strategic partners and international organizations to foster regional and international trade,” Bakole said.
Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said that the Federal Government was delighted that UNIDO has continued to support Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy and achieve Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development through the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).
By Dike Onwuamaeze