Lokoja – The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) says it is ready to help Medium and Small Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country to fully benefit from opportunities offered by the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA).
Mrs Amina Abdulmalik, Trade Promotion Advisor,
NEPC Lokoja Smart Office, stated this on Thursday at a two -day worksop on ” Export Market Access Awareness : Preparing MSMEs For AFCFTA ” organised by the council.
According to her, Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa has the potentials to greatly increase its trading volumes, production capacity and generation of foreign investment.
While the AfCFTA has the capacity to boost intra-aftrican trade and is expected to deliver an integrated continental market consisting of 1.27 billion consumers with aggregate GDP of $3.4 trillion, Abdulmalik stressed the need for businesses in Nigeria to tap into this market of opportunities.
She, however, said that the country can fully benefit from this opportunity only if it is adequately prepared for the impending changes that will affect business and the environment.
” It is necessary that we understand the full-scale impact that AfCFTA will have on all people and the business especially in terms of job creation and economic activities.
“We need to effectively utilize the opportunities that has been created by this trade agreement to develop our local production capacity and achieve our industrial aspirations,” Abdulmalik said.
To this end, the Advisor said the NEPC will continue to intensify its effort to help drive and see to the success of the policies governing the AfCFTA.
In furtherance of this, She that the council has opened up market-access for Nigerian goods abroad through the establishment of Export Trade Houses (ETH) in Togo, Kenya, and Egypt.
Abdulmalik said plans are also in the offing to open more Export Trade House in the nearest future.
“The Export Trade Houses serves as show rooms In this countries, where Nigerian goods are put on display for interested importer from those countries so they can place their orders,” She said .
She said that the council will ensure that the diversification agenda of the government “is achieved with the converging evidence that highlights enormous contribution of MSMEs to job creation, income generation trade and inclusive growth.”
“Sustainable development goal 8, through target 3, calls for efforts to promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-small- and medium sized enterprises, including access to financial services,” she explained.
Abdulmalik then commended the federal government for its visionary leadership and the management of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council for it facilitation.
The Trade Advisor also applauded stakeholders/key players and their representative’s across all value chain for turning out in large number for the workshop. (vitalnewsngr.com)
