By Blessing Elo Oghene
Governors in the South-East have been urged to support and patronise indigenous factories and companies to create employment opportunities, tackle insecurity and reduce unemployment across the region.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Audi Company Limited, Dr Clem Ifezue, an industrialist from Anambra State, said government support and patronage of indigenous industries could create thousands of jobs for unemployed residents while contributing to the economic development of the region.
He described Audi Company Limited as a technical products and service marketing company registered in Nigeria, with a vision to bring leading global brands closer to Nigerians.
According to him, the company has operated for more than 20 years, with branches across different regions of the country, including Enugu, and partnerships with several local and international companies.
Highlighting areas where the company could collaborate with South-East governments, Ifezue identified automobile assembly, power solutions, marine logistics and engineering services.
He explained that the company provides power solutions through its generator brands powered by Perkins and York engines from the United Kingdom.
He added that Audi Company Limited also offers solar systems, hybrid inverters, lithium batteries and solar panels, supported by trained engineers and technicians.
“We have been in existence for a while and Nigerians have been enjoying the quality of our products and can attest to that,” he said.
On marine logistics, Ifezue disclosed that the company partners with other organisations in boat building and marine infrastructure for transportation, fishing and movement of goods.
He also said the company was involved in engineering and construction projects for state governments and private individuals, urging South-East governors to explore such opportunities to attract more development to the region.
Ifezue, a former General Manager of John Holt Plc, observed that sustaining businesses in Nigeria remained challenging because of what he described as insufficient government emphasis on supporting indigenous enterprises.
He noted that local companies often competed with businesses that had little or no investment presence in Nigeria, despite the contributions of indigenous firms to employment generation and economic growth.
He, however, acknowledged the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce high lending rates, expressing hope that improved financing conditions would create a more favourable business environment.
According to him, government patronage remains critical to the survival and expansion of indigenous businesses because the Federal, State and Local Governments are among the biggest spenders in the country.
He cited the procurement of official vehicles, equipment and other materials by government institutions as opportunities that could be channelled towards locally assembled and manufactured products.
Ifezue also referenced Ebonyi State’s initiative of providing vehicles to doctors serving in rural communities as an example of how government procurement could support local businesses while improving public service delivery.
He argued that genuine commitment to the Made-in-Nigeria campaign must go beyond public declarations to include deliberate patronage of products manufactured and assembled within the country.
“If government is sincere with their preaching of patronising made-in-Nigeria goods, it will be a good thing for the economy,” he said.
He maintained that increased government patronage of indigenous companies would encourage more investors to establish factories and production facilities in Nigeria, thereby creating jobs and strengthening the economy.
Ifezue therefore called on South-East governors to form strategic partnerships with indigenous companies, stressing that guaranteed patronage would attract more industries to the region and provide employment opportunities for residents.
He added that investors were more likely to establish businesses in locations where there were clear prospects of profitability and sustained government support.
