The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) on Thursday carried out an export awareness workshop in an effort to stimulate the competitiveness of Nigerian exportable brands in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) market.
The one day workshop with the Theme Export Competency Development to enhance MSMEs Success in ECOWAS and (AFCFTA) held at Marian Hotel Calabar Cross River State
The Chief executive officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Olusegun Awolowo in his Keynote address said Cross River State Exporters must be prepared for the African single largest market.
According to Olusegun Awolowo “It’s our responsibility as an apex agency responsible for the promotion of non-oil export to ensure that our Exporters are fully armed with all necessary skills and requirements to be able to operate in this market”
Read also: Lingering bottlenecks deny exporters of AfCFTA benefits
Awolowo who was represented by the deputy director of policy and Strategy Akintunde Folorunso said (AFCFTA will boost Intra -African trade by 53.3 percent stating that it also cover a gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.5 trillion of the African market.
Awolowo further stated that the Export Expansion Facility Programme (EEFP) is one of the laudable initiatives and support of the Federal Government to support and (SMEs) in the Country.
Earlier in her welcome remarks, the chief trade promotion officer Calabar Export Assistant Officer Sylvia Adeneye said the primary objective of the workshop is to enhance MSMEs success in penetrating the export market by taking full advantage of (AFCFTA) and ECOWAS Trade Liberation Scheme (ETLS).
She further stated that trade opportunities offered by (AFCFTA and (ELTS) are extremely important for MSMEs in Cross River State for a better understanding of the market in the regional markets.
Olusegun Olutayo the lead trade enablement, National Action Committee AFCFTA Abuja in his presentation under AFCFTA said Export business is a serious business noting that the next oil in Nigeria is export business.
Olusegun also said the next generation of billionaires would come from those that engage in export trade.
