Business

By Kennedy Nnamani

TOPE Kolade Fasua, CEO Global Analytics and global economic expert, has identified that some of the challenges of the non-oil export sector of the country’s economy.

Speaking at the sensitization seminar for exporters, regulators and stakeholders organized by the Technical Committee on Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme, NESS, on Friday in Lagos, Fasua noted that Nigeria has the potential to grow her Gross Domestic Product, GDP, from exports of agricultural commodities and solid minerals and that the biggest challenges of the sector faces include illegal and exploitative activities of some state and non-state actors.

While stating some of the challenges which the stakeholders encounter in moving their export products from one point to another, Fasua noted that some stakeholders lament that to move products from Kano to Lagos, for export, they spend up to N500,000 just to settle some state and non-state agents positioned on the roads.

He further stated that some unnecessary bottleneck processes that exporters go through to get their products exported are also costing the country huge amounts of foreign exchange which could have trickled into the country’s threshold.

“Those guys that stand on the road and frustrate the truckers moving goods from Kano to Lagos are Nigerians; they come from government agencies, they come from local government, they come from communities,” he said.

In the same vein, Emmanuel Jime, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, who was represented by Agu Cajetan, Director Consumer Affairs, stated that some of the constraints to boosting export trade in the country are bureaucracy and corruption, high cost of transportation, arbitrary charges as well as cumbersome documentation process.

According to him, the average time that products spend in Nigeria before being exported is 20 days, while in other countries like South Africa, Togo, Republic of Benin and Kenya range from 4 to 7 days. This, no doubt, can be attributed to the endless documentations and logistics.

With all these challenges, the Nigerian exporters and importers operate under the most difficult conditions.

Fasua therefore called for a collective effort of Nigerians to grow and develop the nation’s economy through non-oil exports.

He also observed that Nigeria’s key agricultural commodities like Sorghum, Fonio, Cassava, Yams, Ginger, Okra, Sweet potato, Sesame, Goat, Shenut, Peanut, Cocoa are under tapped.

He disclosed that there are endless global markets for these products, which Nigeria alone cannot supply.

According to him, although Nigeria is ranked between first and third globally in the production of some of these commodities, the country still imports the by-products of these commodities.

While lamenting the wastage of these commodities, Fasua noted that large quantities of mangoes and cashews waste away in the country.

“In Benue state, there are lots of mangoes that are wasted yearly.

“I was driving past Kogi state and I saw so much cashew being wasted on the road; even with the ones that have their nuts inside,” he said.

He therefore called for zero tolerance for waste of agricultural commodities in the country.

KN

Tags: Agu Cajetan Emmanuel Jime Kennedy Nnamani NESS Nigerian Shippers’ Council TOPE Fasua