By Atoyebi Nike
Manufacturers in Nigeria’s paper industry are raising concerns over the poor implementation of the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, warning of job losses and missed economic opportunities if urgent reforms are not made.
The policy, signed by President Bola Tinubu to promote local goods in government procurement, has not protected the sector from cheap and substandard paper imports, stakeholders say.
Williams Sun, CEO of Forcefield Paper Mills, said most Nigerian textbooks are still printed abroad despite local mills operating with advanced technology and round-the-clock capacity.
“We are running our machines non-stop, but the printing presses are idle. Over 80 percent of textbooks are still printed overseas,” he said.
Rajeev Kumar, Managing Director of Royal Paper Industries, warned that the sector is near collapse due to weak enforcement and lack of support for local producers.
“We are exporting jobs and importing poverty,” he said, calling on the government to enforce the local content provisions of the policy.
Industry leaders believe Nigeria can meet over 60 percent of its printing paper needs by 2026 if public procurement rules are strictly followed and imports are properly regulated.
