For our own self-confidence as a people Nigeria needs to get round to producing at least 1m units of the following items annually by 2025

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!