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As COVID – 19 transmission curve is seemingly flattening and the ongoing restrictions are easing out the economic repositioning begins while governmental policy statements on which way forward is been awaited . However, the following shall be considered.

INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA

In Nigeria, the capacity utilisation in industry hovers between 30 -43% on the average with 100% overhead costs. The decline in manufacturing sector are both political and economic factors. such as poor infrastructures and epileptic power supply as key impediment to industrial growth.

Infrastructure — Several decades of infrastructure rot , neglect, poor or zero maintenance culture coupled with rustle up management prescriptions had left public infrastructure such as roads and bridges network, electricity and other utilities in total ruin.
Year in year out annual budgets in trillions are focused on new infrastructures with little or no provision for maintenance budgets.

Electricity – The manufacturing industry as a whole operate on 70% of energy it generate using generators thereby increasing the cost of manufactured goods. Caused by ever increasing petroleum products prices, others are Infrastructural deficit, Multiple taxation, smuggling, Inadequate access to fund both locally and abroad, Prolong cargo (beyond 24 hrs ) clearance coupled with weak ports infrastructures and Insecurity .all these dwindled the fortunes of manufacturing sector.

Coming to terms with the aforementioned the current bailout fund by President Muhammadu Buhari and the CBN is really very responsive to the ailing economy occasioned by COVID 19. Towards strengthening the economy, a stimulus package of about 3.5trillion Naira is targeted towards Household business, Manufacturing and Health care providers to build a more resilient and reliant economy in Nigeria. The bailout must be judicially applied for strengthening the manufacturing sector . through an extant law.

AGRIC IN OTHER CLIMES

— Africa spend $35bn yearly importing Food yearly.
— Brazil has a robust earnings from Agriculture, $43bn from sugar, $33bn from soya (Nigeria budget is $35bn ), $7.5bn from beef. Brazil is set to earn $200bn from Agriculture in the next few years. Brazil has a very strong Auto industry amongst others.
–In USA, Food production and associated value chain contributed a whopping $1.053trn to USA GDP in 2017.
— RUSSIA is world leader in wheat. Currently investing $70bn to have a grain production capacity of 150mmt. Russia is majorly known for its arms sales.
— China’s population is 1.39bn imported $41bn worth of Food products from USA in 2017 – Nigeria can fill some gap here.
— Usually, budgets are only about 10%of a nation’s economy, Nigeria must come out boldly to increase especially the agricultural budget provision if Russia, Brazil and others could do why not.
— Nigeria’s sugar factories at Adamawa, Bacita, Niger state can produce more than enough both Portable and Industrial Ethanol. Using the uncryistalised molten sugars (Mollases). or even cassava.
— The Comparative advantages of Coconut in Lagos State could be exploited, Lagos has about 100 km of coconut groves in the coastal areas. The Philippines are majoring in coconut just as crude oil is to Nigeria.
— Rice and other Cereals such as Soghium, millet etc in the Savanna ecological zones could be exploited as well.
–Same for others: Palm oil, Cocoa etc.
— Not forgetting Dairy products from Cattles.
— 70%of wheat (4.9MMT) is imported annually while 30% is sourced locally from 8 Northern states of Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. With enough mechanical assistance in provision of multi crop thresher – AMAR. There will be large savings on foreign exchange. There is ready market for wheat in Nigeria by the flour millers.
— The Minister of Trade, investment in 2017 pronounced a 3 years tax holidays for local startups in Food Processing and values chain . This should be upheld.

POTENTIALS

The current rate of unemployment in Nigeria is 33% in population of 200million agricultural production and Processing can fill the gap. Nigeria has comparative advantage in Food crop as Cassava, sweet potatoes, Rice, other cereal grains. Cash crops such as Cocoa, Palm oil, Groundnut, Legumes (soya,peas ), Sugar cane, Fruits and vegetables. etc.
TECHNOLOGY — In the allocation of production facilities with optimal strategic determination with resultant large scale saving of scarce resources, profit possibility and capacity restrictions there’s need to have a paradigm shift from human knowledge to application of the technological Database. It’s high time we are technologically compliant in information technology in Agricultural and industry using Cloud technological solutions , Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation. IoT, Block Chain, Smart Contracts etc.

This will restrain shoddy delivery of facilities.

WAY FORWARD — The Organised Private Sector should support government efforts to revitalise the sector through Public Private Partnership in infrastructures deficit.
— More Green bond issuance for adequate Green energy.
— Nigeria can borrow from the economic policies of the ” Asian Tigers ” ( Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan ) to boost manufacturing. – their focal policy is towards Agriculture, Manufacturing and Finance.
— The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) – Goverment policy makers should take advantage of enormous opportunities available in the Capital markets to revitalise moribund companies in various states to create wealth for the citizenry.

CONCLUSION

COVID 19 has reduce the entire world to seemingly same level where we all have to start again, it will not be apt for any Nation to have it’s hand in pocket expecting dough from a big brother. The time to show our ingenuity is now developing our home grown technology to solving our food security issues.
We must unlock the full potential in our Agriculture.

• Agricultural budget provision of 10% minimum is possible.
• Africa Development Bank (AFDB) must intervene.

At WUFAS AGR0Net, We are Competent and Reliable Food Processing Technologists into Human Capital Development Consultancy in Food Processing Technology enhancing Global Competitiveness and International Best Practices for the startups, the teeming youthful population and other Food handlers in “Ethics of FoodProcessing ” The Principal Consultant was at various times :
-Factory Mgr NIYAMCO Bacita kw.state. (Nig Yeast & Alcohol Manu.co.Ltd ).
—BrewMaster North Brewery Ltd Kano.
— Production Mgr 7up bottling co plc.
— Tech Sales Mgr CCP Cadbury plc.
— GM Lister flour Mills Ibadan.
— Plant Mgr – Prime Distillery sango-otta.
— CEO WUFASON FOODS (Yoghurt and beverages )
— President of WUFAS AGR0Net.
We are tested and proofened in Food Security Agenda for the UN 2030.
Contact us : 08034064270, 08157784430. Email , wufasagronet@gmail.com.