The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Coleman Technical Industries Limited, George Onafowokan, has identified poor standardisation, weak logistics, and policy imbalances as major barriers to intra-African trade.
He made the observation on Wednesday during a panel session at the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing and Trade Summit and Exhibition held in Lagos.
Speaking during the session, Onafowokan identified the lack of harmonised standards and persistent logistics bottlenecks as the biggest obstacles to trade within Africa.
“We have made progress in standardisation, but whatever standard is used should be acceptable across countries. If a product is approved in Nigeria, it should be acceptable in Ghana or Cameroon”, he said.
The Coleman MD noted that certification itself is not the main difficulty; instead, the movement of goods and people across borders remains the real challenge. “Each country sees border crossings as revenue sources, which ultimately frustrates trade. If I produce in Nigeria and want to move goods to West Africa, it should be seamless,” he said.
He added that multiple border charges, weak road infrastructure, and inconsistent policies continue to slow down trade flows within West Africa and across the continent, urging governments to simplify logistics and improve container transport systems.
Onafowokan also emphasised the need for African economies to move away from exporting raw materials and instead focus on processing them locally to increase value. “They buy raw materials, process them into finished products, and export them at multiple times the original value. That is how you build a strong trade balance,” he said while comparing Africa’s trade structure with China’s industrial strategy.
He lamented that African countries still export crude oil, cocoa and other primary commodities only to import refined petroleum products and finished chocolate at higher costs. “It does not make sense that we see ourselves as the world’s raw material source and the biggest consumers of the finished products made from those same materials. Until we wake up and prioritise value addition, our non-oil exports will never surpass oil exports,” he stressed.
Onafowokan, also the Chairman of the Ogun State Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, urged governments to adopt policies that promote local manufacturing while discouraging excessive dependence on imported finished goods. “We should encourage the importation of raw materials duty-free if they will be processed locally, but discourage the export of unprocessed materials,” he said.
He stressed that the country must implement policies that create jobs through industrialisation and manufacturing expansion, as more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population is younger than 25. “Government should be the enabler, not the driver of business. The private sector drives business, while government creates the environment,” the industrialist said.
Commenting on the significance of the summit, Onafowokan described it as a unique platform designed primarily for business-to-business engagement across West Africa. “This is different from the usual business-to-consumer exhibitions. It creates opportunities for inter-business collaboration and also provides a forum where government and private sector players can engage directly on improving ease of doing business,” he said.
He also warned that rising geopolitical tensions could affect manufacturing by increasing energy and logistics costs globally. “In any conflict scenario, crude oil prices rise, and that affects energy, transportation, and production costs across industries. We hope it remains temporary,” he said.
Speaking on industrial development, Onafowokan described Ogun State as Nigeria’s fastest-growing industrial hub. “Ogun State today is the biggest hub for industry in Nigeria. Businesses and factories are opening consistently because the state provides space, infrastructure, and an accommodating environment,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, commended Coleman Technical Industries for its reputation and product quality. Enoh noted that Nigerian manufacturers must leverage quality and innovation to expand their presence within Africa and in global markets.
The summit continues with additional sessions focused on deepening regional trade integration, strengthening supply chains, and accelerating industrial transformation across West Africa.
Other panellists included the Vice President of the World Trade Centre Lagos, David Oke; Taiwo Ajetunmobi, who represented the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership; the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SeedaTree Capital, Bowale Adeoye; and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Matta, Mudiaga Mowoe
They urged African governments to prioritise value addition and ensure seamless movement of goods across borders.
