By Kasie Abone, Awka
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of John Zobis Group, Mr. John Ezeobi, has received another major industry honour in recognition of his contributions to local sourcing, innovation, and the expansion of Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity.
Ezeobi was conferred with the “Pillar of Industrial Enterprise and National Impact” award by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu Zone, at the association’s 37th Annual General Meeting (AGM), Awards and Gala Night, held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
The honour comes barely three weeks after he was nominated for The Sun Newspaper’s Industrialist of the Year Award 2025, further underscoring his growing influence within the South-East manufacturing ecosystem.
According to MAN, the award celebrates Ezeobi’s strategic investment in backward integration, his commitment to local sourcing of raw materials, and his efforts at strengthening domestic value chains—initiatives the association described as critical to reducing import dependence, creating jobs, and boosting regional industrial growth.
The well-attended AGM, chaired by renowned entrepreneur Chief Obinna Iyiegbu (Obi Cubana), was themed “Exploring Opportunities for Backward Integration and Local Sourcing of Raw Materials for the Manufacturing Sector.” It attracted regulators, policymakers, manufacturers and other stakeholders, and featured keynote addresses, panel sessions and cultural performances.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, stressed that the benefits of backward integration for Nigeria’s economy could not be overstated. He disclosed that the country spent over ₦3.53 trillion on raw-material imports in the first half of 2025, warning that continued overreliance on imports weakens the economy.
Prof. Ike-Muonso also highlighted the proposed 30 per cent Value Addition Bill, which would mandate minimum local value addition prior to exports, describing it as potentially transformational. He noted that, if enacted, the policy could expand GDP, generate hundreds of thousands of jobs, conserve foreign exchange, and reposition Nigeria as a regional industrial hub.
In his remarks, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah—represented by his Deputy, Barrister Ifeanyi Ossai—endorsed stronger industry-academia collaboration and called on financial institutions to provide affordable credit to manufacturers embracing backward integration. He described the approach as a key pathway for shifting Nigeria from raw-resource export dependence to higher-value industrial output.
Reacting shortly after receiving the award, Ezeobi expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as motivation to intensify efforts at driving local production, reducing import dependence and strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base. The Zobis Cable boss received the plaque from pioneer Nollywood actor and legal practitioner, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo.
“The event highlighted the critical importance of backward integration and local sourcing of raw materials as strategic levers for strengthening domestic production, reducing import dependency, and building resilient, self-sustaining industries,” Ezeobi stated on his social media handle.
Also speaking, the Chairman of MAN for the Anambra-Ebonyi-Enugu zone, Dr. Adaora Chukwudozie, described local sourcing as a practical route to lowering production costs and stabilising supply chains for both SMEs and large manufacturers. She welcomed RMRDC’s roadmap and urged state governments to partner with manufacturers in developing raw-material corridors and shared processing facilities.
The event had His Eminence, Eze Eberechukwu Orji (Eze Aro), as Royal Father of the Day, and was attended by several dignitaries, including Senator Osita Izunaso; Dr. Gideon Chidiebere Osi; Ichie Sunday Ezeobiora; Chairman of Sunchi Farms, Mr. Linus Williams Ife
