Anambra: The National Assembly says it will continue to provide legal frameworks that will guarantee the protection and survival of indigenous firms in Nigeria. Ms Boma Goodhead, Chairman, House Committee on Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring, disclosed this during an oversight visit to Zobis Ltd, an indigenous cable manufacturing company based in Anambra.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Goodhead said the Committee was satisfied with the strides recorded by Zobis Cables and reiterated that Nigeria had what it takes to produce world-class industrial materials locally. She noted that the achievements at Zobis Cable showcased Nigerian ingenuity, technical excellence, and a commitment to national industrial growth. The Committee was particularly impressed with the company’s adherence to the principles of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, its deployment of modern production technologies, and its drive towards value addition and import substitution.
Goodhead emphasized that the scale of investment at Zobis demonstrates that indigenous manufacturers are prepared to compete globally if they receive the right policy support, visibility, and access to the oil and gas value chain. This aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed national drive for industrial transformation through the Presidential Directives on ‘Nigeria’s First Goods and Services,’ which prioritize the patronage of locally manufactured goods and services by all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, especially in the oil and gas, power, and infrastructure sectors.
The House Committee expressed full support for the President’s vision and committed to providing the legislative backing and oversight needed to ensure its full implementation across Nigeria’s industrial sector. The visit to Zobis Cables was part of a broader legislative mandate to promote, monitor, and strengthen local content participation. Goodhead stressed the importance of moving away from dependence on imported cables and electrical materials towards Nigerian industrial self-reliance and home-grown technological advancement.
John Ezeobi, Chief Executive Officer of Zobis Group, highlighted the efforts of local manufacturers to reduce cable prices and urged the government to support local manufacturers to enable them to compete favorably with foreign counterparts.