United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

UNIDO in Brief

UNIDO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that focuses its efforts on relieving poverty by fostering productive growth. It helps developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their fight against marginalization in a world that has become a global village. UNIDO does this by mobilizing knowledge, skills, information and technology to promote productive employment, a competitive economy and a sound environment.

Background

UNIDO was established in 1966 and became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1985 through a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly. From 1985, UNIDO has its own Constitution, Budget, Member States (173) and a Chief Executive. UNIDO's headquarters is located in Vienna, Austria. It has field offices in 30 countries.

UNIDO has been in Nigeria since 1966 and has been contributing to the industrial development and environmental protection. Its Country Service Framework (CSF) programme was launched and formulated in mid-2000 at Nigeria's request with the new democratic dispensation in 1999.

Similar to the CFS Phase One, which ran from 2001 to 2005, the Phase Two, which started from 2005 to 2009 consists of three separate but linked Integrated Programmes (IPs).

These are:

• Industrial Governance, Trade Facilities, Institutional Support and Public-Private Partnership,
• Agro-industries, Productive Capacity Enhancement and Support to Presidential Initiatives
• Environment and Energy.

Capacity Building

UNIDO has successfully been training the senior staff of the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry (FMCI), on its request to refocus the ministry to meeting the challenges of its new role and responsibilities as a result of the merger of the former Ministry of Commerce and that of Industry. The training was also to reposition the staff for the country's Vision 2020.

Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion and Local Content Development:

UNIDO signed a Trust Fund Agreement with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on the establishment Subcontracting Exchange (SPX) that facilitate productive linkages between small, medium and large manufacturing firms and link up with global markets.

Agro-industries, Productive Capacity Enhancement:

UNIDO sets up Common Facility Centers (CFC) in partnership with the FMCI, NEPC, Abia State governments and some stakeholders. The Aba CFC is for the production of leather and garment products. The center was commissioned on 9 May 2008, under the cluster development. Another CFC is being proposed for Kano Leather Producers.

A Trust Fund Agreement, which was signed between the Ebonyi State Government and UNIDO, resulted to the technical cooperation in the development of cassava, rice, palm oil and salt processing in February, 2008.

Environment and Energy:

UNIDO and the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development have reaffirmed their commitments on the clean up of the Lagos Lagoon.

UNIDO has completed Small Hydro Plants (SHP) in Enugu and Bauchi states respectively in order to develop some income generating activities that will utilize power from the two plants for small scale farmers and other artisans. There are on going consultations and discussions with investors for the development of the rice husk fuelled plant project to generate power in Ebonyi State, where rice is produced in large quantity.

Industrial Information Statistics and Industrial Database Development:

UNIDO, in collaboration with FMCI is to improve on the existing Industrial Information Centre at the Ministry (IIC) in order to strengthen the country's capacity to collect, process and disseminate information on polices, strategies, Plan of Action, laws and regulations, incentives for industrial development, opportunities for investment, and create a sustainable network as well as provide a viable industrial database. Statisticians of the ministry and selected staff of the National Bureau of Statistics will be trained by UNIDO in preparation for the centre which will be linked to other networks.