A National Policy on Printing within the value chain of manpower development, creative, manufacturing, equipment and consumables from ink, printing paper, pulp, and other media is in the offing as stakeholders begin a work-group committee with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment.
This is one of the fallouts of the maiden edition of NIGERIAN NATIONAL PRINTERS CONFERENCE put together by print stakeholders under the auspices of CHANGE GROUP in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment to showcase the potentials of the Printing Industry particularly in employment generation while also show case how the industry can contribute to the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (EGRP) and the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) of the Federal Government.
When concluded, the National Policy on Printing is expected to reinvent the industry not only for survival but also for profitability as over the years, the industry has failed to realise the massive potentials it has to contribute to the growth of the nation’s economy. According to Mr. Malomo Olugbemi – Chairman, Central Working Committee of CHANGE GROUP, the next line of action is to give opportunity to every stakeholder across the country via regional meetings to come up with viable suggestions as they affect their print and allied businesses that can be incorporated into the National Policy on Printing.
The one-of-its-kind 1ST NIGERIAN NATIONAL PRINTERS CONFERENCE with the theme: THE ROLE OF NIGERIA PRINTING INDUSTRY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & EMPLOYMENT GENERATION, which was held at Ladi Kwali Hall of Sheraton Hotel, Abuja on Tuesday 27th of November 2018 saw in attendance over 400 print and allied stakeholders from every State of the Federation with representatives of Government from Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment; Ministry of Information & Culture; Ministry of Science & Technology among other Officials from the State Security Forces.
With prominent stakeholders, government officials and several technical presentations from academic experts, the highlight of the Conference was the Opening Speech by the Chairman of the Occasion – Mrs. Folorunso Alakija – Vice Chairman, Digitalreality Print LTD who enjoined all to work together to see to the formulation of a National Policy on Printing that that would not only play a major role in the implementation of government’s Import Substitution Policy to encourage the revival of the three paper mills the government established in the 1970s i.e. the Jebba, Iwopin and Oku-Iboku Paper Mills but most importantly ensure the conservation of Nigeria’s Forex reserves, reduced dependency on importation of raw materials, stimulation of local productivity and industrial enhancement, ‘between them, these mills can adequately supply the paper and board needs of printers in Nigeria’ opined Mrs. Alakija who also noted that the ancillary businesses that originate from the value chain would create not just a single line but a massive web of other profitable occupations.
