The Nigerian Shipper’s Council (NSC) in collaboration with the
Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and some key stakeholders, recently, held a brainstorming session on how to tackle agro export bottleneck.
According to the Executive Secretary of NSC, Emmanuel Jime, the outcome of the session held in Lagos will be implemented.
Jime who was represented by the Director of Regulatory Services, Ms Ifeoma said there was statistics that were available showing that one per cent increase in agricultural products boosted Nigerian economy to 25%, adding that the country has the potential to do more.
He said “There are two issues -impediment access to markets and access to finance for export. If we can identify these impediments by farmers to accessing markets to their goods, and access to pay for their goods at the international markets, then we would move a step forward.
“It will be good if Nigerians are really committed to facilitating trade, good policies actually drive those policies both locally and internationally.
“Let us make sure that our discussion here make or break export for Nigeria. We need to harmonise whatever it is whether import or export.
The representative of the governor of the Central Bank, the director of trade and Exchange, Dr. Kanya Williams in his submission explained that when it comes to foreign exchange, all eyes are on Central Bank.
Kanya said ” that initiative of agro products is doing well. That the impediments need to be taken out completely. a lot of exporters are not reading what they need to know.
“we want to hear from you what the Central Bank is doing wrongly so that we can clean the slate.
In his contributions, the Customs Area Controller, Lilypond command, Comptroller Muhammed Babande enumerated the role of Customs which is to facilitate legitimate trade, and we also have a responsibility to boost export so that our local consumption is strong and our economy is bigger, jobs will be created, whereby all the issues of insecurity will be minimized and all the encumbrances can be removed.
Babatunde said the best that has happened to non-oil export is the establishment of the Lilypond Container Terminal, adding that ’ We have achieved 75% to 80% of what we have to do
“Nigeria Customs service plays a very vital role with Nigerian non-oil export by ensuring that exporter provides a certificate of incorporation, certificate of NEPC, NXP. And to ensure that all relevant agencies are present at the examination bay for inspection.
Babande added ”We have reduced delay in processing export, make the business of export effective since all the agencies are domiciled in one place. It has also reduced congestion along the port access road.
Earlier, the Deputy Director, Trade Services, Nigerian Shipper’s Council, Miss Adaora Nwonu in her address of welcome explained that the purpose of the meeting is to look at the challenges facing non-oil products (agro products) and proffer permanent solutions.
“its gives me great delight to be here. There is no other way or time other than now. I welcome you here. The essence of this meeting is to ensure that all the factors that bedeviled seamless export are. removed. There is a popular saying that ” we have to live with fewer imports than more exports thereby revamping and boosting our productive economy.
“This event is to sincerely look at those issues, the exporters are, they are the primary focus of this event – agro exporters.
“That’s why we have gathered other stakeholders, shipping companies, and terminals who played a role in moving this product out in a costly and efficient manner.
“Its not about ANC now its about export competitiveness. And it cannot be competitive if the challenges are so numerous, with bottlenecks.
