FGN, UNIDO Collaborate to Launch Program for Country Partnership (PCP) and Inaugurate National Coordination Body
Oru Leonard
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, has officially launched the Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) in a high-level event held on Tuesday, October 22, 2025, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
The event, which also featured the inauguration of the National Coordination Body (NCB) for the PCP, marked a strategic milestone towards repositioning Nigeria’s industrial landscape for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth.
In his welcome address, Ambassador Philbert Johnson, UNIDO’s Regional Director, expressed profound satisfaction at the official launch, noting that it signifies the formal commencement of the PCP framework endorsed by the Federal Government. He emphasized that the PCP and its coordination mechanism bring together governmental leadership, private-sector dynamism, and development partners’ support to accelerate Nigeria’s path toward inclusive and sustainable industrialization.
Delivering his keynote address, The Honourable Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, who also serves as Co-Chair of the PCP, described the project as the opening of a new chapter in Nigeria’s industrial and economic renaissance. He remarked that the signing of the PCP between the Federal Government and UNIDO earlier in April 2025 represents a transformational leap, drawing strength from national blueprints, including the recently validated Nigeria Industrial Policy (NIP). This alignment, he noted, will sustain value chains, create productive and sustainable jobs, expand the nation’s industrial base, foster export-oriented growth, and promote the Made-in-Nigeria initiative.
Senator Enoh further reiterated that the establishment of the National Coordination Body will not only ensure policy coherence and effective resource mobilization but will also strengthen institutional synergy, industrial infrastructure, and delivery efficiency while expanding opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and the manufacturing sector.
He called on Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to align their ongoing programs and strategic interests with the PCP framework by investing efforts and resources to create maximum impact. The Minister emphasized that the collective task ahead is to reimagine and rebuild Nigeria’s industrial architecture, one that is dynamic, inclusive, and capable of translating strategic plans into measurable performance.
Senator Enoh officially launched the PCP between UNIDO and the Federal Government for the implementation period spanning 2024 to 2028.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Reuben Bamidele, UNIDO’s Country Director, noted that the PCP represents UNIDO’s innovative approach to supporting the country in achieving its long-term industrial development goals by operationalizing the industrial components of it national development plans.
Also speaking, The Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, expressed confidence in the PCP’s potential to drive Nigeria’s industrial transformation. He assured that his Ministry will continue to provide the needed support to ensure the success of the initiative. Senator Bagudu thereafter inaugurated the National Coordination Body, comprising a 23-member committee drawn from key public and private sector institutions, as well as development partners.
In goodwill remarks, the Nigerian Forum of Governors (NFG) commended both UNIDO and the Federal Government for championing such a strategic partnership. The Forum expressed its readiness to collaborate actively through sub-national engagements that will ensure the PCP’s objectives translate into tangible industrial growth and job creation across the states.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, commended UNIDO and all stakeholders for their unwavering partnership and commitment toward Nigeria’s industrial advancement. He emphasized that the PCP represents a unified framework for achieving sustainable industrialization and urged all implementing partners to uphold accountability, synergy, and measurable impact throughout the programme’s life cycle. Ambassador Rimi reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to providing the necessary institutional support to ensure the effective coordination, monitoring, and delivery of the PCP’s objectives, noting that the event marks not just a launch, but a collective pledge to transform Nigeria’s industrial future.
The launch of the PCP and the inauguration of the NCB symbolize a renewed commitment to industrial transformation in Nigeria, anchored on collaboration, innovation, and sustainability.
(©️Media Unit, Office of the Honourable Minister of State for Industry, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), 23rd October 2025)
