Nigeria Can’t End Unemployment Without Patronising Local Products — Soludo

Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has urged Nigerians to embrace locally made products, arguing that the country’s unemployment challenge cannot be solved while citizens continue to favour foreign or imported goods over indigenous alternatives.

Speaking on Monday at the opening ceremony of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026, Soludo said a nationwide shift to Made-in-Nigeria products could generate more than 10 million jobs and stimulate local industries.

“We cannot create the kind of jobs that we want with all of us patronising foreign or imported goods,” the governor said.

“I look in this room, and I see suits from Europe, from America, from China. I see all, and as Professor Lumumba, I agree with you.”

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stressed that Africa must deliberately build its economy by supporting local production and reducing dependence on imported goods.

“We’ve got to make it Africa,” he declared, adding that discussions around economic transformation must move beyond rhetoric to practical action.

Using his personal experience to illustrate the benefits of patronising indigenous products, Soludo revealed that he has consistently worn Akwete, a traditional handwoven fabric produced in Akwete community in Abia State, since 2019.

“I admire what my sister (Director General, World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala)  is wearing. If you look at me too, I am wearing Akwete. Akwete is the name of a village in Abia.”

“My daughter introduced me to it in 2019, and I have made it my daily uniform.”

According to the governor, his decision to adopt the fabric has coincided with increased economic activity in the community, as demand for the textile has created more employment opportunities and improved the livelihoods of local women.

“I understand the women of Akwete, their income has gone up, employment increased,” he said.

Soludo also disclosed that the community recently received a major boost after Nigeria’s First Lady announced a $2 billion donation aimed at expanding Akwete textile production.

“And two or three weeks ago, the First Lady announced a donation of $2 billion to the place for them to scale it up,” he said.

The governor maintained that widespread patronage of locally produced clothing alone could have a transformative impact on Nigeria’s economy.

“If all of us, 247 million Nigerians, wear only made-in-Nigeria, more than 10 million jobs will be created.”

He challenged government officials, business leaders and participants at future investment forums to lead by example by wearing locally made attire.

“I wish, therefore, that maybe in the next Delta Summit or anywhere, we’ll make it a rule: If you don’t wear Made-in-Nigeria, don’t come. And that way, we can now walk the talk.”

Soludo’s remarks align with ongoing calls for economic diversification, local content development and increased support for Nigeria’s manufacturing and textile industries as part of efforts to reduce unemployment, boost industrialisation and conserve foreign exchange.

The Delta State Economic and Investment Summit, themed: “Harnessing Our Strengths, Unlocking Our Potentials,” brought together policymakers, investors, business executives, and development partners to explore strategies to drive investment, industrial growth, and sustainable economic development across the state and Nigeria.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and renowned Pan-African scholar Prof. Patrick Lumumba, delivered keynote addresses