The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), a non-oil export promotion agency, has advised local manufacturers, especially the micro, small and medium manufacturers, to pay more attention to product packaging to compete favorably in the international market.
Olusegun Awolowo, executive director/chief executive officer of the NEPC, who gave this advice in his keynote address at a-day interactive forum on appropriate packaging and labeling of products in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, noted that inappropriate packaging for Made in Nigeria goods for export has been a major challenge faced by exporters.
The NEPC Chief Executive Officer, who was represented at the forum, by Christian Elekwa, zonal controller, NEPC Aba zonal office, emphasized that most of Nigerian producers and exporters have the right products, but with poor packaging and labeling.
He observed that an average Nigerian manufacturer and exporter have not taken the issue of packaging seriously, stressing that the international market in its competitive nature, would only welcome products of high quality with quality packaging that is environmentally friendly and with the possibility of being recycled.
According to him, in most cases, packaging has often been approached from the view point of providing safety for the product only thereby neglecting the other qualities such as the esthetics and design nature of the packaging itself.
In an effort to solve this problem, Awolowo stated that packaging companies have roles to play to bridge the gap between packaging companies and its end users for the export market.
He regretted that most producers, exporters, potential exporters do not have basic ideas on how to go about their product packaging, which according to him, is a very important marketing function that the average manufacturer and exporter must face.
Elekwa in an interview with BusinessDay, explained that some Nigerian products are being rejected in the international market, especially the European markets, due to the inability of the exporters to meet the requisite standards to exporting to such markets.
He expressed need for regular guidance/counseling of exporters, especially the Micro, Small and medium nntrepreneurs, regarding production and exportation of good quality products, beautifully packaged and labeled in line with international best practices.
The forum titled ‘Appropriate packaging, labeling and barcoding of products for export, was targeted at the MSMEs.
GODFREY OFURUM
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