08 May 2018, Sweetcrude, Lagos — DESPITE the poor infrastructure lack of finance and power, Nigeria has been ranked as a global leader in the export of seven agricultural produce namely yams, cassava, Melon, Kola nut Sorghum and Shea nut.
Disclosing this in Lagos yesterday, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo said that harped on the importance of streamlining the procedures and documentation of export.
Awolowo who spoke at a business seminar on ‘provision of a seamless logistics service as a panacea for economic growth ‘said that streamlining procedures and documentation to achieve the optimal cost was necessary for competitiveness in the export market.
He explained that there are 22 steps to exporting goods and lengthy and cumbersome procedures tend to add to the cost of doing business.
He opined that opportunities available in non-oil export will remain a mirage if the issue of procedures and documentations remained cumbersome.
The Council boss said that the dominance oil revenue is changing around the world adding that attentions are being shifted to non-oil export.
He said “While time is recorded in calendar days or average duration of the company interaction with various agencies, cost captures official fees paid for certificates and testing as both procedure and documentation are dependent on time and cost.
“Trade dynamics are evolving, competition for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and easier ways of doing business are increasingly impacting trade relations.”
Explaining further, Awolowo said that the NEPC has also stepped up efforts at encouraging private investors to build export warehouses to serve as one stop shop for non-oil exports adding that the availability of all relevant inspection and certification agencies under the same roof will also reduce cost.
In his opening remarks, convener of the conference Mr. Ali Shobande said that the move to establish an export terminal at the Lilypond in Apapa was to further reduce the cost of exporters in the course of doing their businesses.