Nigeria affiliates of IndustriALL Global Union with the support of IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa regional office organised a Workshop on Monday 15 November to mark this year’s Africa Industrialisation Day (AID). The Event at NECA House, Ikeja Lagos.

Suatainable industrial development is one of the strategic objectives of IndustriALL Global Union. The IndustriALL Action Plan calls for strong industrial policies that recognise manufacturing as a key engine of growth for national economies.

Nigeria affiliates since 2012 has consistently marked Africa Industrialisation Day (AID) with policy dialogue  series on various themes relating to sustainable development and industrialization through partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). Between 2015 and 2017 we had an enlarged commemoration of Africa Industrialisation Day (AID) with the participation of IndustriALL Affiliates from other African countries in the series of activities held in Abuja.

The theme of this year’s Africa Industrialisation Day (AID) is : INDUSTRIALIZING AFRICA: RENEWED COMMITMENT TOWARDS INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIALISATION AND ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION.

Key issues such as Infrastructure & Industrial manufacturing , breaking the dependence on oil and gas, promoting of value addition/beneficiation of raw materials and job  creation and decent work featured prominently in discussion at the workshop.

Participants reiterated that the future of Nigeria and Africa lies in adding value to its abundant raw materials and creation of sustainable jobs. Accelerating industrilization and expanding productive capacity and valve addition is critical to sustaining Africa’s economic growth. That is why the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has a dedicated goal – SDG 9 – on industry, innovation and infrastructure with a focus on sustainability and resilience. Research shows that not only are manufacturing and industry important job creators, they also have a positive multiplier effect. Every job in manufacturing is estimated to create at least two more jobs in other sectors.

Participants at the workshop are drawn from the affiliates of IndustriALL Global Union in Nigeria namely; National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLAMPE), National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Steel and Engineering  Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN), Chemical and Non Metalic Products Senoir Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN) and Automobile, Boatyard, Transport, Equipment and Allied Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (AUTOBATE). Guest speakers at the event include the Vice Chairperson of IndustriALL Global Union Sub-Suharan Africa, Co-Chairs of IndustriALL Global Union Sub-SUharan Africa, Chairperson of Nigeria Council of IndustriALL, Representatives UNIDO, NLC, TUC and other relevant stakeholders.