By Ime Effiong
Industrialization is the development of industries in a country or region on a wide scale. Investopedia defines it as the process in which a society transforms itself from a primarily agricultural society into an economy based on manufacturing. It is the large-scale introduction of manufacturing, advanced technical enterprises, and other productive economic activity into an area, society, or country.
Industrialization comes with numerous benefits. Industrialization leads to the emergence of industries that will engage in the production of goods on a large scale, which will be available to consumers at a lower price. It will also give them a wide range of choice of products to select from. Industrialization leads to a reduction in the use of time and labor in the course of the production of goods. Thirdly, it leads to the creation of new job opportunities for the populace, resulting in the reduction of the poverty rate. Industrialization leads to an increase in the internally generated revenue accruing to a state. In the long run, industrialization leads to a rise in the standard of living of the people.
The most important goal of the Emmanuel Udom administration is to aggressively industrialize the State and continue to attract foreign investors, ensuring that the environment is made favorable for investments. The goal is to make Akwa Ibom the industrial hub of Nigeria.
The government has started begun the industrialization process and has already recorded so much success. While presenting the 2022 Budget tagged “Budget of Re-defining Standards”, Governor Udom stated that stimulation of the State’s economy with a view to creating more opportunities for gainful employment of its citizens through Industrialization and Agriculture is one of its objectives. As part of the strategies to implement the budget, the government plans to strengthen the industrial base of the State through the acceleration of industrialization and investment activities by providing enabling environment for the private sector to thrive, which inevitably will lead to the production of enough goods and services for domestic use as well as for export. This article looks at the industrialization strides of the Emmanuel Udom led administration, from its inception in 2015 till date.
Two projects that stand out in the industrialization drive of the administration are Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company and Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services Limited. With a production capacity of 350 million, the Jubilee Syringe Manufacturing Company is the largest syringe company in the entire Africa. The company which is located in Awa, Onna Local Government Area, was established in 2017, for the purpose of producing disposable syringes of different sizes, 2mL, 5mL, 10mL. It should be noted that the syringes are made from the best quality raw materials. Little wonder that the company bagged the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) certification for quality, having conformed with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016, International Standards. Located also in Awa, Onna Local Government Area, is the wholly-owned indigenous company, Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services Limited, whose goal is to meet the metering needs of Nigeria. Working one shift, the company currently has the capacity to produce 1,200,000 electricity metres annually. Its capacity will increase to 3,600,000 electricity metres annually if the production shift is increased to two shifts. As a result of its high quality, there is so much demand for its electricity metres, which it supplies to Eko, Kano and Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Companies. Furthermore, the company exports its metres to The Gambia and Liberia. The company is exploring exports to Niger Republic and Zambia. The establishment of these companies will inevitably lead to the creation of more jobs, and positively impact the health and power sector.
Another laudable project of the administration is the St. Gabriel Coconut Refinery, which was flagged off on May 24, 2017. It is located on an 11 Hectare piece of land in Ikot Akpan Okop village in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, and was commissioned on May 14, 2022 by Senator Gabriel Suswam, former Governor of Benue State. Senator Suswam, when commissioning the project applauded Gov. Udom Emmanuel for venturing into an area as unique as the coconut oil refinery to boost the state’s economy and also place the state on a global stage. He commended the Governor for not relying on funds from the Federal government to transform the state, but from transforming the state into a prosperous state.
The landmark project which is the first of its kind in Africa is a combination of Asia and European technology built to transfer skills and develop the youths. The refinery is projected to provide employment for no fewer than 3,000 direct and indirect staff. It will also earn the state high revenue as virgin coconut oil costs higher in the international market than crude oil. In the Governor’s words “Today you are going to witness the first of its kind, you cannot find this kind of factory in Africa that is refining virgin coconut oil with the capacity to process one million nuts a day in three shifts. Today, we are aware that in the international market virgin crude coconut oil goes for $6 per liter and 221 liters makes one barrel and if the much talked about crude oil is about $110 per barrel it means that virgin coconut oil is $1326 per barrel which is higher than crude oil. Soon everyone is projecting that the demand for crude oil will dwindle in future and we would have been prepared for the future”.
The refinery comprises a factory complex complete with administrative offices, production areas, technical spaces, and industrial firefighting systems. Other facilities within the complex include water treatment plants, effluent treatment plants and residential quarters for technical and managerial staff as well as parking areas for vehicles bringing raw materials. Governor Udom also pledged to plant two million more coconut stands before exiting office in 2023 to add to the two million hybrid coconut seedlings.
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Another project of note is the Dakkada Towers. The 21-story Dakkada tower located in the Central Business District of Uyo is 108.80 meters high and occupies an area of 18,639.50 square meters; it is a five-star business tower. The ground floor is designed to accommodate banks and cafeterias, while the second to twentieth-floor office spaces are provided to end-users. The twenty-first floor is a terrace where tourists, guests, and investors can stand to catch a glimpse of the beautiful landscape of Uyo. The Tower has 4 elevators, 2 emergency exits, time attendance readers, fireproof doors, a card reader, and automated retractable bollard barriers at the main gate. To ensure the safety of its occupants, the Dakkada tower has a superb fire detection and suppression system, made up of Central Fire Alarm System, Automatic Fire Detectors, Automatic Fire sprinklers, a fully integrated alarm and emergency announcement system, programmable fire alarm panel, smart smoke detector, public address system.
The tower was commissioned for use on September 24, 2021, by His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, GCON, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In his remarks, he said “I recall in 2015 when the Governor shared the vision of his administration to construct the tallest building in the South-south and South East Region in Akwa Ibom State. Today, I am filled with joy and pride to witness the realization of the dream as we gather to celebrate a commitment to excellence and vision as represented by the 21-Storey edifice before us. But this building is not just the tallest in the South-south region, it is certainly among the tallest in Nigeria and in West Africa. The completion of the Dakkada Tower will most definitely address the paucity of world-class office accommodation for both local corporate and international companies, especially oil and gas companies. With this development, the big players in corporate Nigeria and especially in the oil and gas industry should now find it entirely auspicious to relocate their administrative headquarters to Uyo. The tower is a state-of-the-art smart building, combining architectural beauty with the latest technology developed for smart and efficient workspaces.… The Tower is a catalyst for the private sector to leverage on the emerging real estate market by constructing more skyscrapers, which would be required as the promoters and partners of several of the industrial projects here in Akwa Ibom State begin to require quality accommodation for their offices. For the partners in the Ibom Deep Sea Port, the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone and other key players will begin to demand facilities befitting of international businesses and they will find it right here. There will also be new jobs created and transfer of knowledge and technology as the tower is put to use…I am very proud of what my brother, Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State has achieved in his 6 years of stewardship as Governor of Akwa Ibom State. especially with his industrialization agenda…I applaud the Akwa Ibom State Government for following through on this project to its completion. I also applaud the project developers for staying the course and delivering the building in good time. I congratulate the people of Akwa Ibom for being the magnanimous hosts of these great achievements in Nigeria.”
According to Governor Udom, the tower will accommodate International Oil Companies, with all the inherent benefiting value chain opportunities that will accrue to the people of the state. As a one-stop business location, this real estate investment will increase the revenue of the state in terms of tax, rents, and interactive business activities.
In conclusion, with the emergence of Governor Udom, Akwa Ibom State, which was known as a civil service state, a toga she wore with dignity for nearly 30 years, is now an industrialized state, so much that next to Lagos State, is the state that attracts the most Foreign Direct Investment. Governor Udom is indeed a Promise Keeper.
