Ogun State Government has revealed its plan to identify raw products available in commercial quantity in each of the 20 Local Government Areas, as part of moves to boost the revenue profile and drive the economy of the State through exportation of Non-Oil products to earn foreign exchange .
Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment
, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola who made this known during the State Committee on Export Promotion (SCEP) meeting held at the Ministry’s Conference Room, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, explained that the plan to identify products with comparative advantages in each of the Local Government Areas was an initiative of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)
He assured that the implemehüntation of the programme would be more effective as the Ministry would work in synergy with Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the NEPC to help identify products of comparative advantage in each LGAs.
Aikulola noted that apart from identifying the products of comparative advantage, the Ministry would train exporters and prospective exporters, as well as organise them into cooperative groups in the 20 Local Government Areas, to further ease access to capital, expand their trade which would, in turn help exporters generate foreign exchange, create jobs and boost economic growth of the State.
The Permanent Secretary said, “The OLOP is an initiative of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council. It is not new, it has been around for some time. The Ministry just wants to drive the programme properly to boost more exports in the Local Government Areas and help businesses so that they will not remain local businesses but international businesses’’.
In her remarks, State Coordinator, NEPC, Abeokuta, Mrs. Francisca Odega, said the Council would in the second week of September, 2023 train members of the State Export Promotion Committee and other stakeholders on the OLOP programme, to help the State optimally harness its benefits, stating that the Council is working in partnership with the Ministry to help identify areas of comparative advantages.
Odega added that the Council would also commence its Service Export Programme in the next quarter, through which works of Nollywood stars and other entertainment content creators would be promoted through international trade shows and other relevant strategies, adding that there would also be training on export business for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in the State, while a cassava survey would also be carried out, to further expose prospective exporters to advantages in the cassava value chain.
Reeling out the Council’s achievements in the last quarter, the State Coordinator stated that about 200 informal exporters formalised their exportation business by registering with the Council, while there were different trainings and interactions with stakeholders on horticultural services, shea nut value chain and cashew nut, as well as a trade mission to China and different industrial engagements.
The meeting was attended by various relevant bodies including the Ogun State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA) led by its President, Engr. Mike Akingbade, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agriculture (NIRSAL), Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP), and many more.
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