How to make Nigerians patronise locally-made goods — Oba of Benin

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, has said Nigerians would only patronise made-in-Nigeria products if they are competitive in quality and pricing with foreign goods.

He said this when the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Otumba Francis Meshioye, led other executive members on a courtesy visit to the Oba of Benin’s palace to seek his support in the advocacy for made-in-Nigeria goods.

While lamenting the influx of fake goods, especially pharmaceutical products, imported into the country by those he described as unpatriotic merchants, the monarch called on relevant agencies of government to address the fake drug menace.

“Governments at all levels should put modalities in place and boost productivity aimed at reducing high dependency on crude oil export revenue for economic survival.

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“It is good to do more advocacy to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods, but if made-in-Nigeria goods are competitive in quality as well as pricing; I am sure that Nigerians will patronise them,” he said.

Earlier, the MAN president appealed to the monarch to help the association drive advocacy for made-in-Nigeria goods as the custodian of the culture and tradition of Nigerian people in boosting local content for sustainable economic growth.