By Chimezie Godfrey
A coalition of civil society organisations advocating the revival of the Ajaokuta Steel Company has called on the Federal Government to translate its international investment engagements into concrete action that would restore the country’s foremost steel plant and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial base.
The coalition, in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its National Coordinator, Mohammed Attah, and National Secretary, Barr. Ayo Adebusoye, said the country could not afford another cycle of promises without implementation.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts to attract foreign investment and deepen international partnerships, the group maintained that Nigerians would judge such engagements by tangible outcomes rather than announcements.
”For over 40 years, Ajaokuta Steel Company has stood as the single most enduring symbol of Nigeria’s unrealized industrial potential. Successive administrations have announced plans, signed agreements, inaugurated committees, and made international commitments — yet the plant remains substantially idle despite staggering public investment,” the statement noted.
The coalition argued that if the current administration is committed to economic diversification, industrialisation and job creation, the revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company should be treated as a national priority.
It urged the Federal Government to publish a detailed implementation roadmap for the project, provide periodic public reports on negotiations and agreements relating to the steel company, ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007, and prioritise local content, technology transfer and employment of Nigerian professionals.
The group also called for a transparent and independently verifiable financing framework to enable citizens and stakeholders monitor progress.
According to the coalition, the successful revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company would have significant multiplier effects across engineering, rail transportation, defence manufacturing, automobile production, mining, construction and energy infrastructure, while stimulating the growth of small and medium-scale enterprises.
The coalition reiterated its readiness to collaborate with the Federal Government, the National Assembly, development partners, organised labour and the private sector to achieve the long-awaited revitalisation of the steel plant.
”The time for tours is over. The time for steel is now,” the coalition declared, adding that the administration’s legacy would ultimately be measured by completed projects and sustainable industrial development rather than the number of international investment engagements undertaken.
CSO Coalition Urges FG to Prioritise Ajaokuta Revival over Investment Promises
