Government agencies and manufacturers have made a renewed effort to attract local and foreign investors to Nigeria’s paint and coatings industry, highlighting opportunities in raw materials, technology, and regulatory support.
According to a statement, the stakeholders, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, assured attendees of a favourable environment for investment and innovation at the maiden edition of the West Africa Coating Show held recently in Lagos.
Director-General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, represented by Assistant Director, Sectoral and Regulatory Affairs, Oluchi Odimuko, said MAN would continue to advocate for policies that support local content development and industrial growth.
“We are fully committed to advocating for a business environment that supports local content development, fair competition, and access to raw materials and technology,” he said.
Ajayi-Kadir noted that the coatings and allied industries remain critical to Nigeria’s industrial ecosystem, with applications in infrastructure, construction, packaging, and automotive sectors.
“Coatings are indispensable to product durability, aesthetics, safety, and environmental performance,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Paint Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Abimbola Babatunde, hailed the sub-region’s abundant natural resources, stressing that they must be harnessed to reduce youth unemployment and discourage mass emigration, commonly referred to as the japa syndrome.
He said, “West Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia, and South Africa are the new destinations multinational companies are exploring. Nigeria and Ghana, in particular, remain major emerging markets.”
Babatunde urged governments and private sector actors to embrace regular painting and maintenance to preserve infrastructure value and aesthetics, stating, “Painting adds value to property. It gives buildings a fresh and beautiful look and transforms the immediate environment.”
According to the statement, the event, organised by dmg Nigeria Events in partnership with the PMA, brought together over 110 brands from 12 countries to explore new technologies, products, and partnerships.
Associate Vice President of dmg Events, Paddy O’Neill, said the high turnout of exhibitors from across the globe was a clear indication of Nigeria’s attractiveness to international investors.
“We are delighted to welcome 110 exhibitors to this launch event from 12 countries, including Nigeria, China, Canada, Egypt, India, Italy, Libya, South Korea, Türkiye, the UAE, and the United States. This shows that Nigeria and the wider West African region are markets of key interest internationally,” he said.
Also speaking, Director-General of the SON, Ifeanyi Okeke, affirmed the agency remained committed to promoting safety, quality, and sustainability in the paint sector.
Okeke, represented by Group Head of Chemical Technology, Paul Pankes, said, “SON has worked closely with stakeholders, including PMA, to implement vital standards like the 90 ppm lead limit in paints to protect public health and the environment.” He added that SON would continue to support paint manufacturers in meeting global standards to improve their competitiveness.
For its part, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council reiterated its commitment to bridging the raw material gap in the coatings industry by promoting local content and import substitution.
Director-General of RMRDC, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, represented by the Lagos Coordinator, Oluwasola Marinho, revealed that the council had invested in research to develop indigenous inputs, including local resin production.
“The Council is upscaling pilot projects on resin production using indigenous feedstocks, aimed at reducing foreign exchange outflows and strengthening the local supply chain,” he said.
He stressed that by aligning local natural resources with modern production techniques, Nigeria’s paint industry could become self-reliant, globally competitive, and export-orientated.
Ike-Muonso noted that RMRDC remained open to partnerships that could help commercialise research outputs and deepen the value chain across the coatings sector.
The three-day event, according to organisers, provided a vital platform for industry players to explore cutting-edge knowledge, foster transformative partnerships, and share insights into emerging trends.
