Dike Onwuamaeze
A report released by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has stated that the manufacturing sector has grown to become the largest contributor to industrial output, with its share rising significantly to 50.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 from 28.2 percent in 2010.
The report, titled, “H1-2026 State of the Economy, Turning Potentials into Progress: Accelerating Nigeria’s Industrialisation for Economic Transformation and Inclusion,” stated that manufacturing has continued to lead in job creation within the industrial sector, accounting for 76.5 percent of total industrial employment in 2023, up from 73.2 per cent in 2017.
The Nigerian industrial sector is comprised of five broad subsectors, namely manufacturing, construction, electricity supply, water supply and mining and quarrying that is made up of oil and gas and other mining activities.
The report said that construction and oil & gas came next to manufacturing as largest contributors by accounting for 23.8 per cent and 21.1 per cent of industrial output, respectively, in 2025.
It stated further that construction was the second-largest employer within the industrial sector even though it recorded a decline in its employment share from 23.6 per cent to 21.1 per cent over the same period, while the remaining subsectors together contributed only 2.5 per cent to the total industrial employment in Nigeria in 2023.
NESG said: “This concentration of industrial output and employment highlights the need for Nigeria to prioritise manufacturing-led structural transformation, consistent with the experience of successful industrialised economies including China, South Korea, and Vietnam.
“Manufacturing growth strengthened in Q1-2026 following several quarters of subdued performance, driven largely by a few…
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