AfCFTA: Key into Export Trade Houses Initiative, Council urges SMEs

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has called on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to key into its Export Trade Houses Initiative.

It said that the initiative was imperative as it served as a platform to gain good access into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Mr Macpherson Fred-Ileogben, Head, Trade Promotion Adviser, NEPC, Benin Office, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Tuesday.

Fred-Ileogben said the council was setting up export trade houses at strategic locations in the Africa market to increase Nigeria’s market share in the continental free trade area.

He said: “We want to maximise Nigeria’s entrance into AfCFTA and enhance the value chain of made in Nigeria goods produced by SMEs at the market.

“We are setting up trade houses so that goods made by SMEs will be received and taken to the warehouse at the African market.

“We are starting with the creation of a trade house in Togo.

“So, we want our SMEs to produce quality products that are well packaged and labelled and that can compete favourably at the African free trade market.

“Once the SMEs are registered at the Export Trade Houses, we will help them evacuate their products into the trade houses at the African market and get buyers for their products.’’

Fred-Ileogben said the initiative would reduce the burden of searching for buyers and logistics cost from the SMEs.

He added that the council was collaborating with Chambers of Commerce and Manufacturers Associations in the execution of the trade houses initiative.