L-R: Dr Olugbemiga Aina, Permanent Secretary, representing Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Commerce, Co-Operatives, Trade & Investment, Lagos State; Aimeya Okphebholo, Project Manager, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC); Amb Nura Abba Rimi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment; Dr Jumoke Oduwole, MFR, Honorable Minister, Trade & Investment, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment; Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service; Mrs Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC); and Mr Abba Bello, Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM). Below are other participants st the event.
Ministry to boost export, assures on removal of business obstacles
By Valentine Amanze
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has assured exporters that the bureaucratic bottlenecks affecting their businesses would be removed.
Oduwole gave the assurance during a ministerial export consultation held in Lagos on Tuesday.
She also applauded the top 100 exporters, who had contributed to the growth of the economy.
Oduwole, who noted the importance of exports in driving economic growth, creating jobs and enhancing foreign exchange earnings, called for collaboration among the agencies and exporters to boost the economy.
Her words: “Please encourage the Nigerian economy. The reforms may have been tough, but we’re already turning the corner.
“So, let’s all continue together; we can make this economy work.”
The minister also advised exporters to take advantage of Nigeria’s economic potential, while pledging the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for export growth.
“We’re determined to make sure that the regulatory and bureaucratic challenges, which are well known to us coming from a public background, are systemically addressed.
“I’m here to support all the agencies under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment here present and the Nigerian exporters,” she said.
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The minister, however, pointed out that the ministry’s support was not only for Nigerian exporters of goods and commodities.
“We’re also supporting Nigerian exporters of services, which is one of the lowest hanging fruits, for giving Nigerian youth the opportunity to earn foreign exchange while living in Nigeria by exporting their services.
“They’re talented in areas of digital trade.
Nigeria is going to be a leading, dominating force in that regard.
“There’s a lot of work ahead, no doubt, but the President is committed to this. We’re also going to establish and reinvigorate our Commodities Exchange.
“There’s a lot that we have geared up for Nigeria. Suffice to say that it will take everybody’s commitment.
“You’ve seen that the GDP is moving in the right direction. Please, encourage the Nigerian economy,” she said.
She promised the exporters and agencies that all their valid points raised would be addressed.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Nura Abba Rimi said stakeholders’ consultation engagement is tailored towards strengthening Nigeria’s export sector.
On his part, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), CGC Adeniyi Wale, urged exporters to drive Nigeria’s economic growth.
Wale also commended exporters for their contributions to the country’s economy and called for increased momentum in export growth.
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