Reviving Local Pride: The Mission Behind MIAPPA”

From the Office of the Project Coordinator, Made-In-Aba Products Promotion Agency (MIAPPA)

In a world rapidly embracing globalization, Nigeria faces the challenge of carving a meaningful space in the global economy. Amidst stiff foreign competition, the Made-In-Aba Products Promotion Agency (MIAPPA) stands as a beacon of hope and strategy for local industries. Established as a non-governmental Trade Promotion Organization (T.P.O.), MIAPPA’s mission is clear: to promote all Made-in-Aba products and services to the global market and reverse the tide of foreign consumer dominance in Nigerian markets.

MIAPPA is a collaborative brainchild of SME promoters in the private sector and government agencies. It is structured to be the apex body for championing total patronage and preference for all Aba-made goods. This includes mobilizing the informal sector, reviving struggling industries, and changing consumer attitudes that currently lean heavily toward imported products.

At the heart of MIAPPA’s effort lies a strategic and sustainable re-orientation of the Nigerian consumer’s mindset. By targeting key societal institutions—schools, hospitals, religious bodies, ministries, and the Armed Forces—MIAPPA seeks to create a grassroots movement of support for Aba-made products.

The statistics are staggering. As the International Trade Center (ITC) predicted international trade to reach $5.26 trillion per annum by the end of 2017, Nigeria still lags in non-oil exports. MIAPPA’s initiatives are meant to change that narrative—one trade fair, one marketing campaign, and one consumer at a time.

With a vision:
A commitment to the promotion and enthronement of total patronage and preference for Made-in-Aba products and services globally.

And a mission:
Promoting Made-in-Aba Products and Services to Global Markets.

The future of Nigeria’s non-oil export economy depends on deliberate efforts like these to rebuild national pride, encourage entrepreneurship, and attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) to our vibrant SME sector.