FG to establish industrial hubs in Lagos, Ogun, Kano, and Abia to boost manufacturing sector

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to establish industrial hubs in four states – Lagos, Ogun, Kano, and Abia – as part of its strategy to accelerate economic transformation and boost manufacturing across the country.

Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, disclosed the initiative during the 16th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment held recently in Lagos. The industrial hubs are a key component of the government’s Industrial Revolution Work Group (IRWG), launched in February 2025, which aims to rejuvenate Nigeria’s industrial sector through stakeholder engagement, evidence-based policies, and consistent implementation.

The hubs will focus on sector-specific manufacturing clusters: agro-processing in Kano, textile production in Aba (Abia) and Lagos, and pharmaceutical manufacturing in Ogun. For example, the Kano hub will specialize in converting cassava into ethanol and starch, potentially creating thousands of jobs, while the textile clusters in Aba and Lagos aim to restore Nigeria’s prominence in garment production and exports. The pharmaceutical zone in Ogun is expected to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines.

Senator Enoh emphasized that the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic diversification and sustainable development by addressing challenges such as energy deficits, infrastructure gaps, and regulatory bottlenecks. “We are entering an era of full-scale industrialisation where every investment, every reform, every decision must drive us toward a globally competitive, inclusive, and innovation-led economy,” he said.

The IRWG initiative rests on five pillars: financing and investment transformation, energy and infrastructure modernization, regulatory reforms and ease of doing business, product standards and market expansion, and human capital development and industrial innovation. The government is urging federal and state agencies, the private sector, and development partners to collaborate in unlocking financing for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), reviving dormant industrial zones, and building thriving, employment-generating clusters nationwide.

The 16th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment reviewed 75 submissions, including 30 actionable recommendations aimed at turning policy into concrete industrial growth. The minister described the council as “a clarion call to transform ambition into action” and stressed the urgent need for collective effort to realize Nigeria’s industrial potential.

This initiative is expected to create thousands of jobs, expand domestic manufacturing capacity, reduce import dependency, and position Nigeria as a leading manufacturing hub in Africa.