The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Nextportrade Houses Limited (NHL) said the revival of NHL will increase Nigeria’s international market share.
The Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo, said this at a stakeholder engagement to reposition NHL, held in Lagos on Wednesday.
The CEO who was represented by Mrs Uduak Etokowoh, the Director of International Export office said: “One of The major challenges faced by exporters is the cost of logistics especially exporting to the West African countries where made in Nigeria products have comparative advantage.
“The core objective of the NHL is therefore to drastically reduce this cost of logistics for Nigerian exporters, especially the Macro, small and medium scale Enterprises (MSMEs).”
Barr Kola Awe, a shareholder, Director of NHL and Chairman of NACCIMA export group, said, “When you visit the major markets in West Africa, you will see made in Nigeria products but they are going in without the knowledge of the manufacturers. What we are trying to do is to reverse the situation to make sure the manufacturers make a profit by exporting.”
Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) export group, Chief Ede Dafinone said: “The borders have been closed and we have just come out of a period of approximately four months of COVD-19 lockdown but business must still go on. NEPC and NHl both have a mission to improve and increase the quality and quantity of export that come out to the West African market as our initial target.”
Reacting to the likely date of reopening the borders, he said: “We have had feelers from the government that the borders will open soon, but we are yet to get a definitive date and we are patiently waiting.”