The Iron Rod and Steel Distributors Employers Union of Nigeria (IRSDEUN) has raised concerns over the Federal Government’s newly approved Nigeria First policy, urging authorities to prioritize quality control in the construction materials industry before full rollout.
Speaking on behalf of the union, National President Chief Gbenga Awoyale welcomed the initiative, describing it as a commendable move to boost local production and economic inclusion. However, he warned that without addressing the issue of substandard products especially in the iron and steel sector , the policy risks becoming ineffective or even dangerous.
The Nigeria First policy, endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and recently approved by the Federal Executive Council, aims to give preference to domestically produced goods and services in all federal procurements. The Bureau of Public Procurement has been tasked with revising its guidelines to favor local providers and developing a Local Content Compliance Framework to track high-quality Nigerian suppliers.
However, Chief Awoyale questioned the capacity of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to enforce proper quality checks, pointing to widespread availability of inferior steel products that have reportedly contributed to the frequent collapse of buildings nationwide.
“Quality control must be the foundation of this policy,” Awoyale emphasized. “Our concern is that without strong oversight, corrupt practices may allow substandard goods to slip through under the guise of supporting local content. That’s a real risk to public safety.”
According to IRSDEUN, although Nigerian manufacturers are capable of producing world-class materials, lax enforcement and systemic corruption allow inferior goods to flood the local market even while the same producers supply better-quality materials to neighboring countries with stricter regulations.
The union called on President Tinubu to ensure a robust framework for monitoring and eliminating low-grade construction materials from the Nigerian market. They stressed that any attempt to prioritize local goods must go hand in hand with a national campaign for standardization and enforcement, particularly within government procurement channels.
“If we truly want to put Nigeria first, then protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians must be non-negotiable,” Awoyale said.
