The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has urged exporters in Imo State to take advantage of government-backed loans and grants to strengthen their businesses and compete globally.
Speaking at an engagement forum in Owerri on Wednesday, the NEPC Coordinator in Imo, Mr. Anthony Ajuruchi, said the facilities were designed as viable tools to boost export trade and expand Nigeria’s non-oil sector.
“With support from government agencies, the export market in Imo and Nigeria at large can expand and compete with global markets,” Ajuruchi said, encouraging exporters to tap into the opportunities.
The event brought together exporters and trade-related agencies, including the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL). Its Imo/Abia Coordinator, Mr. Austin Ikeh, described the forum as an important platform to engage stakeholders across the value chain.
He explained that collaboration with the Nigeria Export-Import Bank would allow the government to extend more targeted support to farmers and exporters. He, however, advised exporters to obtain certifications from regulators and deepen their knowledge of international trade to qualify for these facilities.
For some exporters, logistics challenges remain a major concern. Mr. Freeman Godwin, Chief Executive Officer of Belarhem Dynamic International Ventures, which exports edible food items, lamented frequent losses due to poor handling by airline operators.
“Sometimes, I’ve had to count my losses after experiencing damage to my goods at the warehouse as a result of poor preservation and management by the airlines,” he said, stressing that exporters cannot afford to waste scarce loan opportunities.
The forum ended with a renewed call for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to overcome barriers and maximise government’s financial interventions in the export sector.
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