The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has urged the Federal Government to enact a law institutionalising the Nigeria First Policy to ensure sustainability, enforcement, and consistency in promoting domestic production and industrial development.

In a statement signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Muda Yusuf, the CPPE argued that legislative backing for the policy would strengthen Nigeria’s economic self-reliance by prioritising local value addition, domestic manufacturing, and indigenous participation across key sectors.

“When local content policies are backed by law, institutional structures, and fiscal incentives, they deliver measurable and lasting results,” the statement said.

The organisation called on the government to embed the Nigeria First principle within the country’s legal and institutional framework, stressing that past executive orders and procurement policies failed due to lack of enforcement mechanisms.

“Embedding the policy in law will guarantee continuity, attract investor confidence, and reduce exposure to external shocks,” Yusuf stated.

He added that the government must also strengthen enforcement capacity to ensure compliance, minimise leakages, and sustain industrial momentum.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier directed Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to patronise locally made goods and services where local alternatives exist, as part of the Nigeria First Policy adopted at a Federal Executive Council meeting in May.

According to the presidency, the directive aims to stimulate domestic production, enforce local content compliance, and reform government procurement processes.

CPPE, however, maintained that without legislative codification, the policy may not survive future administrations, urging the National Assembly to give it a firm legal foundation.