Job Creation Through Manufacturing Can Reduce Migration Pressure – Kalu

By Tracy Moses

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu on Tuesday said that boosting local manufacturing and technology transfer could create jobs for Nigeria’s youth and reduce irregular migration.

Kalu made the call while receiving a delegation of European parliamentarians under the First Step Forum, led by Marc Jost, during a courtesy visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and fostering economic cooperation.

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Udora Orizu, the Deputy Speaker highlighted the potential of “near-shoring,” an economic model that relocates industrial processes closer to regions where raw materials are sourced. He stressed that Nigeria’s abundant resources, combined with foreign technology and investment, could drive local production and industrialization.

“We have a huge youth population. You have the capital and the technology; we have the raw materials. Why are we not practising near-shoring?” Kalu asked.

He explained that the country should move from exporting raw commodities like cocoa and lithium to producing finished goods locally, such as chocolate and batteries for electric vehicles. “Let our cocoa farms become chocolate factories. That is value addition, that is job creation,” he said.

Kalu also highlighted Nigeria’s lithium deposits, describing them as some of the best in the world, and stressed the importance of partnerships that would enable local production amid the global shift to cleaner energy.

The Deputy Speaker further called for a reset in Africa-Europe relations, urging both sides to move beyond historical grievances toward partnerships built on mutual respect and shared prosperity.

On Nigeria’s diversity, Kalu described the country’s religious and cultural pluralism as a source of strength rather than division, noting that inclusive governance benefits from multiple perspectives. He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for promoting national cohesion, citing the recent unveiling of a chapel at the National Assembly as an example of religious inclusivity.