- Minister of Trade Jumoke Oduwole has promised to address Nigeria’s export challenges by 2025
- Exporters list challenges confronting the sector, including frequent rejections of Nigerian goods in international markets
- Regulatory authorities the different initiatives and efforts being made to enhance the Nigerian export landscape
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, has promised to address challenges faced by exporters through targeted policies by 2025.
Oduwole assured that comprehensive and actionable plans with clear delivery timelines were underway to address challenges in the sector.
She made the promise on Tuesday, November 26, after hearing concerns by exporters during an interactive session at the Ministerial Export Consultation held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The minister said, “We will support you. We will serve you. And we will address these things.
“What gets measured gets done. We will make an action plan that we’ll bring back to you with timelines. And I believe 2025 is going to be a great year.”
The event had in attendance Nigeria’s top 100 exporters, including Starlink Global, Indorama and OLAM, as well as regulatory bodies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
Exporters list challenges
Exporters at the event highlighted the challenges they face in the international market, which include frequent rejections of agricultural produce due to non-compliant pesticide use, logistical inefficiencies, high port charges and issues related to the Nigeria Export Proceeds (NXP) form, which exporters must complete for processing their export transactions.
Other issues of concern to the exporters include inadequacies in the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) scheme, which they said has failed to provide sufficient incentives to support export growth and multiple levies and withholding taxes on freight and port operations, which increase export costs.
One of the exporters in attendance said, “These additional charges make Nigerian products less competitive globally, especially when compared to goods from countries with more favourable policies.”
As part of solutions to address the issues raised, an agribusiness exporter at the event called for better regulatory guidance and farmer education to address pesticide compliance issues.
He said, “Many of our agricultural products are rejected abroad because farmers lack proper training on pesticide use, and this affects our reputation in global markets.”
A consultant called on the Federal Government to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) like other African countries to ensure duty-free and quota-free access to European markets.
The consultant said, “Countries like Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire already enjoy significant competitive advantages through EPAs and Nigeria must act quickly to level the playing field.”
How regulators are supporting export
Regulatory authorities at the event highlighted the different initiatives and efforts being made to enhance the Nigerian export landscape.
The Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs Nonye Ayeni, said the council has adopted initiatives that will enhance production, quality, market access and value addition as part of efforts to address export challenges in the country
Ayeni disclosed the planned establishment of Export Trade Houses across the country to streamline trade and improve market access, adding that exporters can now receive proceeds in Cefa to simplify regional transactions.
Another strategy, according to Ayeni, is the council’s collaboration with northern farmers to boost productivity through capacity-building and seedling distribution, as well as plans to automate export documentation for improved efficiency.
On funding gaps for non-oil exporters, the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Abba Bello, promised to mobilise funds and partner with commercial banks to offer tailored credit solutions.
Bello said, “Access to finance is a major constraint and we are committed to bridging this gap to support exporters in their growth and global competitiveness.”
On his part, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the service has made efforts to streamline export processes, which include the automation of port operations and plans to deploy scanners by 2025.
Adeniyi emphasised the importance of regional cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), stating that a regional meeting to harmonise export processes across Africa will take place in 2025.
Nigeria aiming to be a leading global fish exporter — Oyetola
Meanwhile, TheRadar reported that Nigeria is striving to become a major exporter of fish, according to Adegboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
This strategic initiative was unveiled during the 39th Annual National Conference and General Meeting of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria, where Oyetola represented President Bola Tinubu.
