‘Industrialisation Key for Strong Supply Chain’

Eromosele Abiodun

The Managing Director of LADOL Free Zone, Dr. Amy Jadesimi, has said that industrialisation is key to building a strong supply chain.

Jadesimi stated this as a guest speaker at the hybrid event of 2021 Society of Petroleum Engineers Nigeria Council Annual Technical Symposium, with the theme: ‘Maximising Supply Chain Viability in-Country: Drawbacks & the Way Forward.’

The LADOL boss added that the best way of achieving industrialisation in Nigeria was to support and enable thousands of new sustainable Nigerian businesses across a wide range of industry.

These businesses, she stated, may well currently be such that primarily support the petroleum sector, but which in future could transition to primarily support other industries from agriculture to urban building and green energy.

According to her, “The key to having strong supply chains in Nigeria is industrial development and diversification.
“The data shows that the most profitable businesses and those that will have increasing access to finance are sustainable business.

“Nigeria has an unmatched opportunity to grow and industrialise sustainably.
“Sustainable business models, she stressed, work across all industries adding that, “In fact, in just four sectors – healthcare, agriculture, energy, and urbanisation – there are $12 trillion of sustainable business opportunities.

“As one of the fastest growing countries in the world our need is greater than most and our reward will be greater than most if we latch on to these opportunities now.”
She explained that oil and gas is an integral part of Nigeria’s economy not only because the country is an exporter, but also because the petroleum currently drives and is an integral part of every economy across the world.

“But the world economies have almost universally committed to shift away from petroleum towards greener solutions. We are living in a world where the largest country in the world, led by President Joe Biden’s administration is making green commitments, not just in terms of transitioning but also in terms of investment today, far beyond the commitments made by previous leaders. United Kingdom, Europe, and countries in Asia are doing the same, “the LADOL boss continued.

Jadesimi further stated, “Even if we don’t transition our economy, we will end up being forced to. But that is the wrong way to look at this global shift. Rather this shift is a chance for us to build the right way and achieve sustainable industrialisation ahead of wealthier countries, which have to backward integrate. Especially since technologies are getting cheaper.

“In summary, we need to industrialise to protect and strengthen our supply chains today – doing so sustainably through the local private sector will yield greater profits now and, in the future, enable to get access to cheaper, longer-term funding and put us at the forefront of a world-wide transition. While this transition could take another 20 to 30 years, there is no doubt that it is needed, it has started, and it will happen.

“In order to secure our supply chains today, in order to secure our economy and industries tomorrow, we must develop more local eco-systems, just as we have done in LADOL, which support a wide range of industries.”
ineering, in manufacturing, in design and create finished goods here.”