Fidelis Kenny, Abeokuta
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has advised Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMSEs) to leverage on Nigeria's economy situation by exporting.
Speaking at a one-day workshop organised by the NEPC in conjunction with the Ogun State Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Industry, in Abeokuta, the state capital on Wednesday, the MD/CEO of XPT Logistics International Limited, Kola Awe, said that SMSEs operators are at advantage of the state of Nigeria's economy.
The theme of the workshop was "Maximizing Market Access Tool for Trade Growth in Ogun State", with a major objective to adequately address market access as one of the major challenges confronting the Nigeria exporters in growing their export
The worsahop had in attendance the former and first Female President of NACCIMA, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, the representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Director of Commerce, Mr Ariyibi Opaleye, representative of Afro Vending Online Marketplace, LLC USA, Mr Idowu, among other players in export and commerce.
The former chairman of NACCIMA Export Group added that Nigeria's diversifying her economy would favour small businesses that could consider exporting.
"Nigeria is currently on diversification of the economy particularly to the non-oil sector. So governments are favorable in dispose of making policies and programmes that will promote non-oil export sector. This is the time SMSEs to take advantage", he added
Awe pointed out that there are various platforms through which small businesses could penetrate international market.
"Basically, Trade Fair is one of the platforms that SMSEs can use to showcase their goods and it is very instrumental to the development as marketing strategy for SMSEs because of the attractions and the varieties of products that come with trade fairs and the volume of attendance will also impact on market contract and delivery orders.
"There are other areas they can consider. They can consider the use of Export Trader Houses, the Nigeria Export Promotions Council and some organised private sectors such as set up by traders in Togo, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
"They could leverage on the traders concepts, the Chambers of Commerces which is part and parcel of international traders in the world in terms of business exchange.
"They could consider the commercial department of embassies, membership of bilateral Chambers just like Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce, Nigeria in German Chamber of Commerce. They could also consider the use of distributors, importers and developing strategies partners in any country that they desire to export their goods", Awe stated.
Also speaking, the Trade Profession Advisor in Ogun State, Odega Francisca, who underscored the benefits of the seminar to small and medium scales business operators, said that the importance of exporting to the country's economy is numerous, adding that it will impact the value of foreign exchange.
"The seminar is to sensitise our prospective exporters and those that are already exporting on market access, because one of the problems that exporters have is that they have good products locally but they think they don't have the capacity to do export by the virtue that logistics duties are there.
"We are here is to teach them (SMSEs operators) and sensitise them on areas through which they can access international market. It should not be you carrying your goods by yourself. There are many linkages like franchise, trade fairs, strategic partnership with well-known exporters; it could be Chambers of Commerce and it could even be through diaspora.
"The benefits for SMSEs are quite huge. One, it is doable. Two, in their little capacity they can start from where they are and grow from there. Three, they now know the method through which they can penetrate international market. Four, we grow the export products from Ogun State and Nigeria at large to make generation of dollar through foreign exchange, economy is boosted within the system and security", she submitted.
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