Book on Export can do a lot for SMEs – Awolowo

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Olusegun Awolowo, has said the launch of the book ‘Export Promotion in Nigeria, Law, Policy and Practice’ will pave way for more entrepreneurs, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), to venture into export business.

Awolowo who was the chief host at the launch of the book written by a director at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Dr Ezra Yakusak, said the book will be a guide to entrepreneurs and anyone going into export business.

“I have no doubt that this book will assist in re-evaluating the laws and policies guiding non-oil export trading for possible review or amendment. It will therefore be for interest and practical value, for policy makers, lawyers, students, exporters and the general public. I heartily recommend this book to entrepreneurs, especially SMEs,” he said.

In his keynote address, the Secretary to the Government of Federation Boss Mustapha, who was the special guest of honour at the event, said Nigeria’s economic diversification drive will be a mirage except with the development of the non-oil sector as discussed in the book.

The Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly and Chairman of the occasion, Bawa Abdullahi Wuse, said the book could not have come at a better time than now when the federal government is giving premium to the diversification of the economy.

He added that diversifying Nigeria’s productive base for exporting will undoubtedly strengthen the nation’s economy.

The author of the book, Dr Ezra Yakusak, said his main objective for writing the book was to promote export in the non-oil export sector of Nigeria to help diversify the economy.

The book reviewer, Barrister Chief James Onoja (SAN), said the book will provide information about export procedure and documentation, export costing and pricing, quality control technique and export packaging amongst others to SMEs.

“It contains practical steps like what your packaging should look like to meet international standard,” he said.