The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has blamed the political crisis in Rivers State for stalled industrialisation. The outgoing chairman of the Rivers/Bayelsa chapter, Vincent Okuku, spoke at the association’s 42nd annual general meeting. He said the crisis between 2023 and 2026 destroyed the hopes raised when Governor Siminalayi Fubara took office. The challenges of multiple taxation, poor power supply and the absence of an industrial hub persisted because the government was consumed by political turf wars.
Rivers State has one of Nigeria’s largest economies. It hosts the Port Harcourt refinery, the Onne oil and gas free zone, and a dense manufacturing cluster. In 2023, Fubara succeeded Nyesom Wike as governor. A political feud between the two men paralysed the state. The House of Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule, launched an impeachment motion. The crisis disrupted governance. The Port Harcourt to Maiduguri Economic Corridor, a major industrialisation project, was threatened. Foreign direct investment in the state fell sharply. Only $49.21 million in FDI was recorded over ten years, according to one analysis. The political instability deterred investors. It also diverted resources from productive sectors to political battles.
Okuku said the MAN delegation had met Fubara with high hopes. They discussed tax harmonisation, an industrial park, elimination of touts and power supply. Then the impeachment motion came. “So went the hopes and dreams of accelerated industrial development,” he said. He blamed the setbacks on the system. The government was caught up in a political tussle. It could not address the manufacturers’ demands. He expressed joy over the reconciliation taking place in the state and the return of political stability. He said the governor can now focus on governance and the economy.
The crisis had real costs. Manufacturers faced multiple taxation from state and local governments. Power supply remained unreliable. The industrial hub never materialised. Jobs were not created. Young people remained unemployed. The state’s economy stalled. The reconciliation offers a chance to reset. But trust takes time to rebuild. Investors will wait for stability to hold before committing capital.
Winners: The state government, if stability holds and investment returns. Manufacturers, if the policy environment improves. Workers, if factories reopen. The people of Rivers, if the economy recovers. Losers: The people of Rivers, who lost years of development. Manufacturers, who faced higher costs and uncertainty. Investors, who stayed away. The state’s economy, which lost billions in stalled projects. The political class, whose rivalry cost the state.
Bottom Line: Rivers State lost years to a political feud. Manufacturers bore the cost. Stability has returned. The governor can now govern. The task is to rebuild confidence. Investment does not return overnight. But the door is open.