The International Human Rights Commission – Relief Fund Trust (RFT), Nigeria Chapter, has called for urgent action to revive local production as a pathway to addressing Nigeria’s current economic challenges and safeguarding citizens’ welfare.
In a statement signed by Abdullahi Adamu Bakoji, Country Director of the Commission, under its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) framework, expressed concern over the continued decline in the value of the naira and its far-reaching implications on the dignity and standard of living of Nigerians.
The Commission recalled that Nigeria once maintained a vibrant industrial base, with notable contributions from automobile assembly plants and manufacturing companies across the country. It highlighted that industries such as Peugeot Automobile Nigeria in Kaduna, Volkswagen Assembly Plant in Lagos, Leyland in Ibadan, and ANAMCO in Enugu played significant roles in strengthening the transportation and manufacturing sectors.
According to the statement, supporting industries—including tyre production by Dunlop and Michelin, battery manufacturing by Exide, foam production by Vono, and cable production by Nigerian Wire and Cable Company in Ibadan, as well as NOCACO in Kaduna—further reinforced the country’s industrial capacity.
The Commission also noted that textile production flourished through companies like UNTL in Kaduna and Chellarams in Lagos, while consumer goods were locally produced by firms such as Thermocool. It added that agricultural productivity was boosted by local manufacturing of inputs and equipment, including tractor assembly plants.
It emphasized that this level of domestic production previously contributed to job creation, economic stability, and national self-reliance.
The IHRC-RFT warned that Nigeria’s growing dependence on imports and declining industrial capacity now pose serious human rights concerns. These, it said, include reduced access to livelihoods, rising poverty levels, and the erosion of citizens’ dignity and standard of living.
“Access to economic opportunity is fundamental to human rights and national stability,” the statement noted.
The Commission, therefore, urged the government and relevant stakeholders to prioritize the revitalization of local industries, support agriculture and small-scale manufacturing, and implement policies that promote economic inclusion and sustainability.
It concluded that rebuilding Nigeria’s productive capacity is critical to achieving economic recovery and social stability, stressing that revitalizing local production is not only an economic necessity but also a human rights obligation.