The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Coleman Technical Industries Limited, George Onafowokan, has identified lack of harmonised standards and logistics bottlenecks as the biggest obstacles to intra-African trade.
Onafowokan, whose company manufactures wires and cables, spoke during a panel session at the ongoing West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade Summit & Exhibition, holding at the Landmark Centre, Lagos.
He said: “We’ve made progress in standardisation, but whatever standard is used should be acceptable across countries. If a product is approved in Nigeria, it should be acceptable in Ghana or Cameroon.”
He was joined at the panel by Vice President of the World Trade Center Lagos, David Oke; Taiwo Ajetunmobi, representing the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership; Founder and CEO of SeedaTree Capital, Bowale Adeoye; and Founder/CEO of Matta, Mudiaga Mowoe.
According to Onafowokan, certification is not the main challenge; rather, it is the movement of goods and people across borders. He noted that multiple border charges, poor road networks, and policy inconsistencies continue to hinder trade within West Africa and beyond.
“Each country sees border crossings as revenue sources, which ultimately frustrates trade. If I produce in Nigeria and want to move goods to West Africa, it should be seamless,” he stressed, calling for improved container transport systems and simplified logistics across the continent.
He also called for shift from raw materials to value addition, emphasising the need for African countries to move away from exporting raw materials and instead focus on building competitive regional supply chains.
Drawing a comparison with China, the Coleman CEO noted that although the country imports about 40 per cent of the world’s copper, it processes and exports finished goods at significantly higher value.
“They buy raw materials, process them into finished products, and export them at multiple times the original value. That is how you build a strong trade balance,” he explained.
He lamented that Africa continues to export crude oil, cocoa, and other raw commodities only to import refined petroleum products and finished chocolate at higher costs.
“It does not make sense that we see ourselves as the world’s raw material source and the biggest consumers of the finished products made from those same materials,” he said, insisting, “Until we wake up and prioritise value addition, our non-oil exports will never surpass oil exports.”
The Coleman boss also called for balanced trade policies that encourage local manufacturing rather than import dependence.
“We should encourage the importation of raw materials duty-free if they will be processed locally, but discourage the export of unprocessed materials,” he suggested, adding that government policies must be deliberately aligned to support industrialisation.
He stressed that with over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population below 25 years, the country must adopt policies that drive job creation through manufacturing and industrial growth.
“Government should be the enabler, not the driver of business. The private sector drives business, while government creates the environment,” he said.
Commenting on the significance of the summit, Onafowokan described it as the first truly Business-to-Business (B2B) focused industrial gathering for West Africa.
“This is different from the usual business-to-consumer exhibitions. It creates opportunities for inter-business collaboration and also provides a forum where government and private sector players can engage directly on improving ease of doing business,” he noted.
He added that such platforms are critical for fostering integration within the West African business ecosystem.
On global economic developments, he warned that geopolitical conflicts, including tensions affecting global oil markets, could negatively impact manufacturing through rising energy and logistics costs.
“In any conflict scenario, crude oil prices rise, and that affects energy, transportation, and production costs across industries. We hope it remains temporary,” he said.
Onafowokan, who is also Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun State chapter, described Ogun as Nigeria’s fastest-growing industrial hub.
“Ogun State today is the biggest hub for industry in Nigeria. Businesses and factories are opening consistently because the state provides space, infrastructure, and an accommodating environment,” he stated.
He urged government at all levels to sustain policies that enhance industrial expansion and job creation.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh, commended Coleman Technical Industries for its reputation and quality output, noting that Nigerian manufacturers must leverage excellence to expand within and beyond the country.
Other industry stakeholders at the summit also identified poor standardisation, weak logistics, and policy imbalances as major barriers to intra-African trade, urging governments across the continent to prioritise value addition and seamless movement of goods.
The summit continues with further sessions focused on deepening regional trade integration, strengthening supply chains, and accelerating West Africa’s industrial transformation.
Photo Caption: L-R Chief Operating Officer Nigeria Machine Tools, Obehi Ojeaga; MD/CEO of Coleman Technical Industries Limited, George Onafowokan; Vice President of the World Trade Center Lagos, David Oke; Taiwo Ajetunmobi, representing the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership; Founder and CEO of SeedaTree Capital, Bowale Adeoye; and Founder/CEO of Matta, Mudiaga Mowoe.
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