The national president, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture; NACCIMA, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, is leaving no stone unturned in her quest to ensure that its members enjoy hitch- free business operations in the country for national growth and development.
Speaking at NACCIMA business women Group NAWORG, on Export Promotion Conference over the weekend in Lagos, NACCIMA president said the forum is designed to brainstorm and synergize with sister agencies to chart better course on facilitating exportation in Nigeria especially in agricultural sector.
According to Lawson, NACCIMA is looking at opportunities and challenges to promoting export trade and profer solutions to the challenges to broaden and grow Nigeria’s export trade.
“We are harnessing the entrepreneurial traits and potential of youths and women for national growth and development, however, we are also tackling low level of knowledge and awareness of export trade, poor storage facilities, hige cost of haulage, cost of shipping, complexities of ports operation, sharp practices amongst others” she stated.
On regulations, she said it’s imperative for exporters to follow due regulations and procedures of export, saying that the era of packaging substandard and non approved products for export is over. “Exporters must not cut corners but comply with the extant laws and regulations if their products must be officially exported, by doing this, our products would be appreciated in the international Market and our GDP would surge.” she charged.
She further reiterates that Nigerians must begin to live and lead like countries without oil and emphasize more on export because exportation has come to replace oil as our main source of foreign exchange since no country can survive without exporting goods and services “exportable Products are Nigeria’s new oil, all we need is to bind our loins together and promote export so as to return Nigeria back to the days when 1Naira is equal to USD 1, thus; all hands must be on deck, that’s what is important now” she added.
In a keynote message, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Segun Awolowo, said the Council is doing everything possible to fast track export and eliminate bottleneck in the whole processes.
Speaking on the theme: Nigeria Export Trade; Focusing on the Chains and Regulations, Segun maintain that the goal of of the experts forum is to give attention to the Value chains and provisions guiding exportation so as to guide exporters against undue exploitations in the long run.
According to him “We are examining the current state of export trade vis-a-vis the government’s diversification agenda with focus on the challenges faced in existing export value chains and opportunities therein.
Still speaking, “the export development is a strategy to implement the job creation for youths, zero -Oil plan initiative and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan”(ERGP) geared towards boosting the economy’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)” he maintained.
Segun further stated that the Council is working with the federal ministry of Agriculture and other private and public agencies to work in favor of exporters from the Crude Form of resources to the Market Place, adding that NEPC is embarking on training for youths in different sectors to boost the economy.
“In collaboration with NACCIMA, we are training would -be -exporters to equip them with the requisite know-how and wherewithal with correct procedures at duty free to grow and export agricultural business in international space.
He therefore tasked producers to look for opportunities, new ideas and build a sustainable and reputable brands in other to stand competition in the global Market saying that the essence of business is quality “Exporters must be ready create and make innovations and come up with best value that gives final users the desire satisfaction since the market is only interested in the utilities they derive from your products, so you must not be afraid to label your products ‘Made in Nigeria’, because your quality products can chase China products out of Nigeria.” he asserted.
He further charged Nigerians to Change their mindset about locally made products and services and patronize same in other to grow Nigeria’s GDP.
On his part, the Deputy comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service; enforcement, Lagos, Dera Nnadi, said though the Service aims to generate funds for the federal government, however, its would not act in any way inimical to every business person I’m the country especially exporters.
According to Nnadi, regulations as par Business operations in the country would be business friendly adding that exporters should seek for the right information about their businesses.
“While we strive to eliminate unnecessary hitches that causes delays in import-export operations, we expect business men to be fully armed with in dept knowledge about their businesses in other to avert colossal business loss. Our offices are open for collaboration and we shall do everything to facilitate exportation, that is our mandate” he maintained.
