HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LAUNCHES PROBE INTO ABANDONED INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CENTRES NATIONWIDE

The Nigerian House of Representatives has initiated a sweeping investigation into the long-standing neglect and deterioration of over 30 Industrial Development Centres (IDCs) established across the country since the 1970s. The resolution was reached during Tuesday’s plenary session following a motion moved by Hon. Emeka Idu, who represents the Onitsha North/Onitsha South Federal Constituency of Anambra State.
Hon. Idu, in presenting his motion, lamented that the country has derived little benefit from the IDCs, despite their original purpose of spurring industrial growth, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on foreign-made goods. He specifically cited the four zonal centres located in Osogbo, Owerri, Zaria, and Maiduguri as emblematic of a broader failure to leverage public investment for sustainable development.
“These centres were not only strategic industrial incubators but were fully equipped with heavy machinery and designed to serve as hubs for disseminating technical knowledge and fostering local manufacturing capacity,” Idu stated. “Unfortunately, they now lie in varying states of abandonment, with obsolete equipment, underutilised facilities, and disillusioned staff.”
The House subsequently mandated its Committee on Industry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the neglect of the centres, assess their current conditions, and recommend strategies for their optimal revitalisation and utilisation. The committee has been given a four-week timeline to present its findings and recommendations for further legislative action.
According to Idu, the failure to revive these IDCs poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s industrial aspirations, especially at a time when the country is grappling with high unemployment, an ailing manufacturing sector, and growing pressure on its foreign exchange reserves. He warned that unless immediate efforts are made to reverse the trend, the nation risks forfeiting critical opportunities for economic transformation and improved living standards.
Although the Federal Government had in previous years handed over the management of these centres to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), little progress has been recorded in rehabilitating the infrastructure or activating their full potential.
The motion drew broad bipartisan support from lawmakers, many of whom echoed concerns about Nigeria’s declining industrial base and the need to provide practical support to SMEs. The resolution marks a renewed effort by the National Assembly to hold agencies accountable and push for the resuscitation of dormant but economically strategic national assets.
As the committee commences its investigation, stakeholders across the manufacturing and SME sectors are expected to monitor proceedings closely, hoping that the long-awaited revival of these centres will finally materialise after decades of abandonment.