Saraki launches Made-in-Nigeria challenge

                                     Abubakar Bukola Saraki 

Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki has launched a contest to promote Made-in-Nigeria products. The contest, scheduled to run for three months, is aimed at showcasing processes and raw materials used in producing locally-made goods.

In a statement personally signed by  Saraki, the senate president said the contest will identify good products that can be matched with investors and government agencies. He also added that such agencies or investors will drive the products to the extent that they compete favorably with any similar product being imported.

“Today (yesterday), as promised, we kick-start the soft launch of the #MadeInNigeria Challenge.

“This campaign is organized to showcase everyday products that are used by Nigerians and produced by Nigerians locally, that serves as an alternative to imported products.

The next few weeks, we hope to identify products and ideas that can be matched with investors and government agencies.
“To wrap up the challenge, in March, we will be inviting some of the finalists to a Made-in-Nigeria Roundtable, at the Senate.
“This roundtable will allow us, legislators, government agencies, business owners, and everyday Nigerian consumers to review and update the report of the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER), which was held in 2016, to improve the ease of doing business in the country,” he said.
Saraki also said the roundtable would also be used to get feedback on the Public Procurement Act passed by the Senate, in 2016.


The amended Act mandates government agencies to give preference to local manufacturers in the procurement of goods and services.
He wished all participants good luck and called on Nigerians to “use the hashtag #MadeInNigeria in all your submitted videos.”


To participate in the contest, participants are expected to shoot a video of between 45 seconds to three minutes, showcasing their products or services that are an alternative to imported ones.
The manufacturer must utilize up to 70 per cent of locally-sourced raw materials to qualify as Made-in-Nigeria goods or services.
The video, according to Saraki, has to state the registration status of the company, the number of people currently employed and “the intervention you need from government,” to aid small businesses in Nigeria.