Ayo Akinfe
(1) Mobile phone handsets
(2) Plasma television sets
(3) Fridge-freezers
(4) Assault rifles
(5) Saloon cars
(6) Combined harvesters
(7) iPads
(8) Solar panels
(9) Electricity transformers
(10) Medical ventilators
As things stand, the only company that can mass-produce manufactured goods of any type in significant quantities in Nigeria today is Innoson Motors. If we suffered a Pearl Harbour-style attack today, the Nigerian president cannot summon half a dozen captains of industry to Aso Rock and hand them munitions production quotas.
Nigeria imports a lot because we do not produce anything. For me, this is more of a psychological thing because we are great at producing prototypes but alas, we suffer a mental block when it comes to converting these prototypes into mass-produced finished products.
If we get over that hurdle by proving we can do it, 90% of the battle will be won. For now, we find it convenient to hide behind the excuse of bad government, which for me is just a cop-out.
Despite poor governance, Nollywood and the religious faith industries are booming. If a people want to prosper, no amount of bad governance can hold them back!
