Declare a state of emergency on bagged cement

Sir:  Nigeria stands at a critical economic juncture where the cost of essential building materials, particularly bagged cement, has escalated beyond rational limits. What was once a strategic policy designed to protect and nurture local industry has, regrettably, evolved into a structural burden on the very citizens it was meant to serve.

The sustained ban on the importation of bagged cement was introduced with a clear and commendable objective: to empower domestic manufacturers to scale capacity, enhance operational efficiency, and ultimately deliver affordable products to Nigerians. It was a forward-looking industrial policy anchored on self-reliance and economic nationalism.

However, the current reality tells a different story.

Rather than translating protection into productivity gains and price moderation, dominant players in the cement industry have leveraged their privileged position to impose excessive pricing on the market. The result is a quasi-monopolistic environment where competition is stifled, consumer choice is limited, and prices continue to surge with alarming regularity.

This is no longer a theoretical concern—it is a lived crisis.

The hyperinflation of cement prices is not an isolated economic phenomenon. It has far-reaching ripple effects across the entire economy. From housing construction to infrastructure development, from small-scale artisans to large contractors, the cost implications are profound. For the average Nigerian, the dream of owning a home is drifting further out of reach. For businesses, project costs are spiralling uncontrollably. For the nation, development is being inadvertently slowed.

Even more troubling is the perception of inertia.

Across the country, conversations are intensifying around the apparent lack of timely intervention. Citizens are increasingly questioning why a market so critical to national development is left to operate under conditions that disadvantage the majority.

A decisive and strategic response is urgently required. The federal government must immediately engage cement manufacturers in a transparent and firm dialogue, with a clear expectation: prices must be reviewed downward to reflect both production realities and global benchmarks. The era of unchecked price escalation must come to an end.

Dialogue alone is not sufficient. There must be a credible policy backstop. Should manufacturers fail to respond responsibly, the government must be prepared to take bold corrective action by lifting the ban on the importation of bagged cement. Opening the market to controlled competition will serve as a powerful regulatory mechanism, compelling efficiency, innovation, and fair pricing.

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This is not about undermining local industry—it is about recalibrating it.

True industrial growth thrives not in protection without accountability, but in a balanced ecosystem where performance, efficiency, and consumer welfare coexist. A competitive market will not destroy local manufacturers; rather, it will challenge them to evolve, optimize, and align with global standards.

Declaring a state of emergency on bagged cement is therefore not merely symbolic—it is a strategic imperative. It signals urgency, seriousness, and a commitment to safeguarding the economic well-being of Nigerians.

The time to act is now.

The credibility of economic governance, the stability of the construction sector, and the welfare of millions of Nigerians depend on swift and decisive intervention. By re-evaluating the current policy framework and restoring competitive balance, the federal government can once again demonstrate its commitment to fairness, growth, and national progress.

Nigeria cannot afford to allow a critical commodity to become an instrument of economic strain.

•Prof  Sunday Ayodele Enikanselu, Lagos.