In an effort to drive and sustain export business in Nigeria, Fidelity bank has partnered with Nigerian Export Promotion Council, (NEPC) and Lagos Business School to launch an Export Management Programme.
This programme which has been put together by the three institution promises to teach exporters what they need to know about export business, how to make themselves marketable and equip exporters with necessary knowledge on access to finance.
Speaking during the launch in Lagos, Nnamdi Okonkwo said the times are tough and Nigeria’s economy is challenge, adding that the country needs to diversify so that it is not just dependent on crude oil.
According to him, “There are lots of opportunities to export Nigerian made goods and some countries have jets flying out vegetables every morning to Europe but Nigeria has the fertile ground, where it can grow rice, cashew and all sorts of agricultural products.”
Okonkwo explained that Lagos Business School is a centre of excellence and the institution has enough research and expertise to teach Nigerians what to do regarding export while the Nigerian Exports Promotion Council has the expertise, data and institutional framework to help exporters.
He further explained that Fidelity bank has the capacity to support exporters because one of the key problems exporters have is access to finance.
“We are doing this programme under the platform of Export Leadership Institute and Export Management Programme anchored by Lagos Business School,” he added.
Segun Awolowo, CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council during the launch of the programme stressed that there are infinite possibilities of export in Nigeria.
“For us, we must face the economic problem as a good crisis. We must not waste it, that is the way forward and this programme will do just that. This is going to be a great partnership because it is about building human capacity, and that is what has been lacking,” Awolowo said
He noted that before now, NEPC trains exporters but lacked the capacity to do the training properly, adding that a partnership with Lagos Business School, anchored and financed by Fidelity, will enable them train exporters properly and develop them.
Frank Ojadi, who represented the Dean, Lagos Business School, said the partnership is built on a strong and stable structure that could drive this export activity in the country
Ojadi reiterated that the programme is aimed at providing the capacity for those who are getting into the export business to know exactly what the lope holes are, the processes and procedures, so that when they get in there, they will not going to have any difficulties.
“We have developed this capacity building program and essentially we have an accelerated programme for those who are already in the export business so that they can gain more insight into the act of producing and exporting.
We also have the other programme which is designed essentially for the beginners and it teaches them everything they need to know from the fundamentals to the point to developing customers they have to serve,” Ojadi said.