The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has announced the Federal Government’s readiness to collaborate with Coleman Wires and Cables Industries Limited to enhance the power sector and create jobs. This announcement came during a tour of Coleman’s factories in Arepo and Sagamu, Ogun State, over the weekend.

Speaking with reporters after the tour, Minister Adelabu expressed his admiration for Coleman’s capacity to support the power sector across all segments—generation, transmission, and distribution.

“I am impressed by the significant investment made here. Coleman has the capacity to support the power sector at every level. The quality of their products meets optimal certification standards, and it is commendable that such a company operates in Nigeria. The government is committed to supporting local manufacturers through improved local content and government patronage,” he said.

Minister Adelabu emphasized the need for governmental support to facilitate the operations of companies like Coleman.

“We must support them through patronage and enable their contributions to power sector projects in Nigeria. Additionally, we will assist local manufacturers in sourcing foreign exchange for their production imports, a major challenge in the industry,” he added.

The Minister pledged to engage the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to develop innovative ways to support local manufacturers, thereby enhancing their global competitiveness and employment generation.

“These are large factories employing many people, and the scale of operations here is impressive,” he noted.

In response, Coleman’s Managing Director, George Onafowokan, highlighted the mutual benefits of collaboration with the government, noting that it would encourage further investment and capacity expansion.

“We see the expansion of our power plant as critical to creating capacity in the country. Coleman is committed to supporting Nigeria’s goals by enhancing local content. This collaboration with the government will benefit us and encourage further investment,” Onafowokan said.

Addressing reporters earlier, Onafowokan urged the government to focus on solving power transmission problems with the support of local manufacturers. As the Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in Ogun State, he emphasized the importance of developing indigenous capacities and creating an incentivized business environment.

“To address power transmission challenges, solutions must be localized, promoting the growth of local industries. Nigeria, with its large population, has the potential to be a processing hub. Balancing fiscal and monetary policies to manage foreign exchange volatility and creating an enabling environment is crucial. We need to facilitate the import of raw materials and the export of finished products to drive value addition and sectoral growth,” he stated.

Onafowokan also called for domestic direct investment incentives and measures to combat counterfeiting, working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to implement a product identification process.

“To bridge skill gaps in technical manufacturing, tertiary institution curriculums should be reviewed to include practical training in automation and machinery engineering, enhancing production capabilities,” he concluded.