Day 3 of the Manufacturer’s Association of Nigeria’s (MAN) anniversary was characterized by a night filled with celebration and deliberations around the future of Industrialization in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria.. The electric atmosphere of the International Conference Centre, Abuja greeted guests into an evening of awards for a job well done by the leadership and membership of the organization.
In maintaining its track-record as a global automobile brand of great repute, Guangzhou Automobile Company (GAC Motor) once again joined in making the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) marks its 50th anniversary a memorable one. The company reinstated its commitment to driving innovation within the country’s manufacturing sector by demonstrating how the GAC GN8 car is symbolic to the future of industrialization in Nigeria. The Chairman of GAC Motor, Chief Diana Chen expressed her interest in supporting MAN’s agenda for driving innovation in the Nation’s Manufacturing sector. According to her, “We are happy to do this partnership because we know how important Manufacturing is in the country.”
The anniversary dinner commenced with a video display of congratulatory greetings from key stakeholders within Nigeria’s economic landscape. This was followed by a goodwill address by Engr Magaji Da’u Aliyu, representing the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila. His speech recognized the impact of Manufacturing on the Nation’s development. According to him: “The place of Manufacturing in the development and economic roles of nations is clear and indisputable.” He lauded the Manufacturers Association of NIgeria for their efforts at driving industrialization in the country through a wide range of initiatives. In his words, “As we gather here today, I am pleased to celebrate with you as we count back the years. We celebrate with our founding fathers, current president and past presidents for the sacrifices they have made to our nation; and also look forward to our bright future on this occasion”.
President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) ably represented by his deputy, Engr Jani Ibrahim also took to the podium to congratulate the association on its illustrious achievements over the years. In recognizing how challenging the sector is, he commended the organization’s efforts by saying “We congratulate the founding fathers of this organization for their vision, their steadfastness, their commitment, resilience, in an environment where Manufacturing is tough.”
On the GAC-MAN collaboration, Chief Chen spoke extensively about GAC’s vision vis-a-vis its activities thus far in driving industrialization in Africa, primarily through the Nigeria-China bi-lateral agreement. In her words, “The partnership in Nigeria is not only a matter of business relationship, it is also for China’s commitment to driving regional developmental growth.”
As part of events for the night, winners of the MAN Essay and MAN Logo Design competitions were rewarded with cash prizes of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively. The competition was a creative and intellectual contest for university students to discuss the Nation’s Manufacturing sector as well as channels for the industry’s growth and impact.
In a gesture that represents a new dispensation for Nigeria’s Manufacturing sector, MAN set a new vision for itself which reads: To be the key driver for industrialization, sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria. Guests, alongside thousands of viewers streaming the event online could attest that the organization is not ready to rest on its laurels.
Awards were given to outstanding individuals for their illustrious achievements which have impacted the association positively over the years. Some recipients of the awards include: Aliko Dangote, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, and many other dignitaries that contributed to the development of the organization.
To wrap the event in grand style, the Director-General of MAN, Engr Segun Ajayi-Kadir expressed his gratitude at the efforts of guests and stakeholders in making the 50th anniversary celebration a remarkable success. In extolling the commitments of all, he said “It is in the spirit of nobility that I on behalf of the president and members of MAN convey our deep appreciation to our special guests of honour for this magnificent night.” In his closing remarks, he assured guests of the commitment of the organization in fostering economic development in Nigeria and across the continent. In his final words, he gave one lasting remark: “MAN of the future is here!”.
As Headline sponsor to MAN’s 50th Anniversary celebration, GAC Motor has been working behind the scenes to make the program a success and drive tangible initiatives aimed at fostering local production. In one of its recent moves, the company commissioned the construction of a Car Assembling Plant in the Ogba area of Lagos State. It plans to unveil its showroom in the next couple of months.
The 3-day anniversary celebration gave enough insight into the future of industrial revolution in Nigeria and across the continent. We wish MAN a successful dispensation as it begins this new phase after its 50th year of establishment.
Stay abreast of more of GAC’s projects and how it impacts Nigeria’s Manufacturing sector development. Follow our social media handles @gacmotor_nigeria (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) for live updates.
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