Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
In a significant stride towards post-conflict recovery, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, officially inaugurated the Borno Plastic Factory on Friday, positioning the venture as a critical tool to wipe out the economic despair and ideological hardship fostered by Boko Haram’s decade-long insurgency.
The launch marks a pivotal moment in the Northeast’s arduous journey from a theatre of violence to a hub of productivity, directly linking industrial revival to the consolidation of lasting peace.
The states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa have borne the brutal brunt of an insurgency that caused widespread death, economic destruction, and a severe diminishment of peace. The humanitarian fallout has been staggering. According to displacement data, Borno State alone hosts the largest number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region, with approximately 874,213 individuals residing in 62 formal and 158 informal camps as of December 2023. Adamawa and Yobe states hosted approximately 19,277 and 19,451 IDPs respectively, underscoring the scale of the displacement crisis.
In response, governors of the Northeast have initiated a coordinated, phased policy to return displaced populations to their homes, a process that began in earnest around 2020-2021. The overarching goal is to permanently close all IDP camps by the end of 2026. This return is not merely a humanitarian gesture but a strategic imperative to deny insurgents hiding places among unsettled populations and to revive the agrarian and commercial economies that once thrived in the region.
Governor Zulum announced the commencement of nationwide distribution and exportation of the factory’s products during an inspection tour of the facility, located in the new Maiduguri Industrial Park. He described the project as a cornerstone of his administration’s strategy to industrialize the state and wean its economy off exclusive dependence on federal allocations.
“I am happy to note that people from Borno State will no longer procure plastic materials from other places,” the governor stated, signaling a reversal of the economic dependency that grew during the conflict.
He revealed that the factory has already achieved commercial traction, having fulfilled international orders by shipping finished plastic wares to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon, while also supplying several states within Nigeria. This immediate market penetration demonstrates the viability of the enterprise.
“You have seen that the products have been sold to our neighbouring countries and other states within Nigeria,” Zulum said. “We will invest more in our industries so that, in the near future, the Borno State Government will no longer rely on the Federation Account for its day-to-day activities.”
The establishment of the Borno Plastic Factory is not merely an economic project; it is a multifaceted peace-building strategy. The insurgency, particularly propagated by Boko Haram, thrived on a narrative that rejected modernity and offered idle youth a perverse sense of purpose through violence. This factory directly counters that ideology by creating hundreds of direct jobs for Borno indigenes and offering a legitimate and dignified alternative to the economic desperation that often makes young men vulnerable to recruitment by terrorist groups. As Governor Zulum noted, the factory has become a “model for industrial revival and youth empowerment.”
However, the return of IDPs is only sustainable if their home communities offer economic opportunities. The factory, and the industrial park it anchors, creates a core of employment that supports the government’s camp-closure policy, giving returnees a tangible reason to stay and rebuild.
Analysts also said that the factory’s success in exporting to neighbouring countries like Chad and Cameroon fosters regional economic ties. This commercial interdependence can contribute to stronger cross-border security cooperation and a shared interest in stabilizing the region.
Notably, the production of everyday household items like chairs, tables, and basins symbolizes a return to normalcy. It shifts the focus from survival to development, restoring a sense of pride and purpose to a population long defined by conflict.
Governor Zulum explained that although the factory was originally constructed under the administration of former Governor Kashim Shettima, now the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it has been revived and expanded as part of his government’s recovery and development plan. Crucially, to ensure its long-term viability, the state adopted a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Management has been placed under Tatabe Global Services, which oversees daily operations, production, and marketing, while the state provides oversight and an enabling business environment.
Now operating at full capacity, the Borno Plastic Factory stands as a tangible testament to the region’s resilience. It represents a conscious and strategic effort to replace the destructive ideals of Boko Haram with the constructive ideals of enterprise, self-reliance, and hope, proving that the path to enduring peace is inextricably linked to economic survival and revival.