Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, said the Federal Government had opened discussions with Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Company, as well as other key indigenous vehicle manufacturing companies, to produce locally-made ventilators in the country.
This was as the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Engr. Mansur Ahmed, said that manufacturers had increased Nigeria’s domestic production capacity for face masks from two million masks in February to 27 million now.
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The minister, who updated journalists on #COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for the manufacturing sector, in Abuja, said the government received a proposal from Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company to produce ventilators and similar proposals had been submitted by other indigenous auto manufacturers and that the various proposals are being considered.
“We are also engaging our indigenous car manufacturers at this time to prepare them to tweak their operations to begin the manufacture of Made-in-Nigeria ventilators – critical medical equipment in the fight against the virus,” he said.
The ministry had last month set up a committee on “the sustainable production and delivery of essential commodities” during the #COVID-19 pandemic, amongst others.
AThe minister also said the ministry had been collaborating with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); the Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); Nigerian Traders Association (NANTS);and other relevant stakeholders to guarantee unhindered production of essential items like food, medical and pharmaceutical products.
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Engr. Ahmed said manufacturers had braced the lockdown to ensure uninterrupted production of essential goods, including supply of raw materials.
The industrialist said as imports of essential goods dropped, local manufacturers were trying to bridge the gap by ramping up domestic production.
