Maiden National Logistics summit to unveil industry report

The African Centre for Supply Chain is set to hold its first National Logistics Strategy summit and unveiling of the first Nigerian Logistics and Supply Chain Industry report.

According to the organisers, the summit will among others “seek to build a public, private initiative to create a national logistics strategy for Nigeria; craft a national logistics strategy that will give rise to a national logistics policy; examine the nation’s logistics deficit and how it is affecting competitiveness and development, and the role of logistics in the economic diversification effort of the nation.”

The summit will take place on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, at the Oriental Hotels Ozumba Mbaiwe Road, Victoria Island Lagos.

Delegates expected at the summit include representatives of the Federal Government, World Bank, USAID, AFRIEXIM, UNIDO, UNDP, African Development Bank and the organised business community, among others.

“For any economy, the logistics sector, encompassing transportation, warehousing, cargo consolidation and border clearances, would form the backbone of its trade, and associated economic activity of key sectors.

“The cost of trading whether by sea, land or air, forms a critical component of the final price of a commodity. An efficient logistics system reduces this cost, provides a competitive edge and propels economic development.

“The current stress on the logistics system and its performance suggests that one of the key issues is inadequacy of transportation logistics infrastructure. The competitiveness of this nation is hinged on efficient logistics and supply chain management,” said Obiora Madu, director-general, African Centre for Supply Chain.

Madu further observed that the global tendency towards a diversified export-based economy and the urgent to expedite the process of economic growth and development, underscored the imperative of a national logistics strategy.

The unveiling of the first Nigerian Logistics and Chain Industry Report will be the major feature of the summit. The report, according to Madu, is designed to grow Nigeria’s market share of various products in the global market, by assisting professionals with information and data for their daily operations, as well as helping policy makers in policy decisions.

“The Report will be most beneficial to policy and decision makers in logistics and supply management, warehousing, manufacturing, project management, customer service, procurement. Transportation, consulting professionals and foreign investors, students and academics,” Madu said.