The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to prioritize indigenous producers in the supply of fencing materials for the Lagos airport perimeter fencing project, cautioning against the importation of Clear Vu fencing.

In its statement, MAN praised the government’s infrastructure drive but emphasized that the procurement process for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport perimeter fencing and security surveillance project should align with President Bola Tinubu’s Nigeria First Policy.

Director-General of MAN Segun Ajayi-Kadir said, “It has become a matter of national interest for the contractor handling the project to ensure strict adherence to Executive Orders 003 and 005, and the imperatives of President Bola Tinubu’s Nigeria First Policy.

In particular, we strongly maintain that, in considering the procurement of Clear Vu fencing, indigenous manufacturers should be given priority consideration, and it should not be purchased from outside Nigeria.”

Ajayi-Kadir stressed that local firms possess the capacity and expertise to manufacture fencing materials that meet global standards. He warned that sidelining indigenous producers in favor of imports would “undermine government policy and deny the country critical benefits such as job creation, foreign exchange savings, higher tax revenues, and a stronger industrial base.”

MAN noted that Nigerian manufacturers had been excluded from similar projects in the past, pointing to the importation of fencing materials from South Africa despite its earlier advocacy. The association described such practices as discouraging to local industry and inconsistent with the government’s local content policy.

“The Lagos Airport fencing project presents a clear chance to demonstrate that the Nigeria First Policy is not just an aspiration, but an intentional policy of government that will be matched with unfettered implementation,” MAN said.

The association urged the Federal Government to take urgent action, stressing that procuring fencing materials locally would ensure the project serves the national interest.