Following the recently signed MoU between IITA and Africa House, both parties conducted a one-day training on agro-commodities export in IITA Abuja. The participants were from the Agro Division of the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Nigeria Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, and some private sector agribusiness owners.
The objective of the training was to sensitize relevant government agencies on the opportunities available in exporting agro-commodities to improve the agricultural sector of Nigeria’s economy and generate more income for Nigerians in agribusiness.
IITA Abuja Station Administrator Ijeoma Animam, representing the Head of Station, Prof. Lateef Sanni, welcomed the participants and thanked them for honoring the invite from IITA and Africa House to participate in the one-day training. She highlighted IITA’s achievements over the years and the benefits of the MoU with Africa House. She encouraged the participants to pay attention so they could capitalize on the opportunities the training would offer.
The training, facilitated by Africa House Director Engr. Abayomi Onasanya, included highlights of Africa House activities and Nigeria’s current export capacities compared to other African countries. Onasanya also identified export opportunities available to Nigeria using commodities such as citrus, seafood, and ginger as case studies. Other topics included finance in export, export documentation processing, and the role of Nigerians in diaspora in export.
He established that the partnership with IITA was to exchange information and develop specific cooperative programs in areas not limited to empowerment, wealth creation, and capacity building. He concluded that Africa House is willing to assist interested government agencies with export development, corporate export mentorship, standard machinery stockpiling, and facilitating international market linkages.
Giving the vote of thanks on behalf of the participants, a delegate from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Ibrahim Olaniyi, thanked IITA and Africa House for the great opportunity. He recommended that the training’s next phase be opened to other government agencies, such as Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), who monitor agro-commodities during export.
Contributed by Terngu Abur
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