The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transgreen Nigeria Limited, Pastor Cyprian Orakpo, and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria have called on the Federal Government to invest heavily in education and human capital development to turn Nigeria’s large population into an economic asset.
Orakpo said the country’s population could drive industrial growth, innovation and consumption if the government equipped Nigerians with the education and skills needed to become productive.
He made the call on Tuesday at his 60th birthday celebration held at Lagos Province 5 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Faith City Parish), where the Transgreen Nigeria Limited chief executive also unveiled the O’Care Foundation for the Needy, an initiative to support vulnerable people and communities.
Orakpo told The PUNCH that Nigeria’s large population gave the country an advantage over smaller African economies whose populations could not support commercially viable large-scale production.
He said, “One of the good things about Nigeria is our population. Our population is something that we must recognise as an asset. It can be an asset; it can also be a liability. We have a huge population that virtually can aid businesses.”
However, the business leader warned that poverty, deprivation and inadequate education could turn the country’s population from an economic advantage into a burden.
“The government needs to use this population as an asset and not have it become a liability. Presently, it is not more of an asset because of the level of poverty and deprivation. If the government can zero in on developing citizens, to have a viable population, every other thing will be secondary,” the business leader and cleric remarked.
Orakpo maintained that an educated and enlightened population would drive creativity, innovation and industrial development while reducing unemployment and insecurity.
“With an active and enlightened population with education, there will be lots of innovation, lots of creativity, lots of industry; there won’t be unemployment. But you see, when the population is not educated, it becomes a liability,” he explained.
He linked insecurity and youth involvement in criminal activities to failures in the education system, urging the government to prioritise human capital development instead of relying solely on the country’s natural resources.
“All banditry and kidnappings you are seeing are the outcome of a failed educational system. There are many countries that don’t have what we have. Like Singapore, for example. Singapore doesn’t have any of the natural resources that we have, but they have an educated population, and as a result, innovation. I think that what we are lacking in Nigeria is an educated population, an enlightened population,” Orakpo said.
He also identified poor infrastructure, customs processes, ports and bad roads as longstanding challenges confronting manufacturers, but said the country needed to pay greater attention to the productivity of its people.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, described Orakpo as an exemplary manufacturer and business leader who had contributed to the association’s advocacy efforts.
Ajayi-Kadir said Orakpo had demonstrated leadership as Vice Chairman of the MAN Apapa Branch and contributed recommendations aimed at improving the business environment.
“From the point of view of a member of MAN, he has demonstrated leadership. He is currently the vice chairman of the MAN Apapa Branch. And he has provided great leadership in terms of directing the affairs of the secretariat,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
He added that Orakpo had chaired committees that strengthened MAN’s advocacy efforts and had shown capacity to analyse issues affecting manufacturers.
“He contributes to MAN’s advocacy mandate by making fantastic recommendations to the government in terms of how to create an environment that is conducive for business. And has also chaired several committees that have produced strong advocacy content that have delivered for the association,” Ajayi-Kadir said.
The MAN DG noted that Orakpo also significantly invested in other manufacturers as a business coach.
The birthday celebration also featured the unveiling of the O’Care Foundation for the Needy, which Orakpo said would focus on supporting vulnerable Nigerians through four major interventions.
He said the foundation would first target correctional centres, particularly people who remained incarcerated after completing their sentences because they could not pay fines.
“One of the things that this foundation wants to do would be to ensure that there’s nobody that will remain in our correctional centres that have been judged and discharged and acquitted, as we’ll ensure such a person doesn’t stay there because of fines,” Orakpo said.
He said the foundation would also support people detained in hospitals because they could not settle outstanding medical bills after completing treatment.
The third area would focus on food support through a food bank, including a system to recover suitable surplus food from hotels and restaurants and distribute it to people in need.
Orakpo said the foundation would also provide micro-support to small businesses while extending assistance to institutions including schools for the blind, special-needs schools and orphanages.
His daughter, Jedidiah Orakpo, described him as a father who combined playfulness with seriousness and remained committed to helping others improve their lives.
“My father is playful and serious at the same time. He’s the kind of person to make you feel at home when talking to you. He also wants the best for you. He wants you to be better than you were yesterday. He wants to support you however he can. And he’s a lovely soul,” she said.
She wished her father peace, joy and a Nigeria that matched his vision for the country.
