Nigeria’s Ex-Leaders Push for Aggressive Industrial Revival to Rescue Economy

|By Babatunji Wusu

Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and ex-Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko have urged the Federal Government to make industrial productivity a national emergency to fast-track economic recovery and self-reliance.

They made the call on Tuesday at the 4th Annual National Conference of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria in Abuja, themed “Boosting Nigeria’s Productive Capacity for National Growth and Self-Reliance.”

Anyim, delivering the keynote, said Nigeria understood the power of industrialisation since independence but lost momentum due to policy inconsistency, weak institutions and political instability. He blamed the collapse of thriving industrial hubs in Kano, Kaduna, Aba, Onitsha and Lagos on corruption, ethnic politics and loss of national values — not ignorance.

“To quickly revive local production, we must protect our markets, fix infrastructure and restore patriotism in governance,” he declared.

Conference chairman Wamakko praised the forum for sustaining policy-focused dialogue and pushed leaders to develop a united work plan that builds trust and drives sub-national development.

National Chairman Dr. Chris Akomas said the forum was committed to producing actionable strategies that would unlock productivity, create jobs and strengthen economic resilience. He stressed that Nigeria’s problem was never a lack of potential but failure to convert it into measurable prosperity.

The conference drew former deputy governors, policymakers, business leaders and development experts in plenary sessions centred on industrial innovation, leadership accountability and policy coherence.