Business membership association working for members’ interests
Femi Egbesola, president, Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), was in BusinessDay with executives of the association recently. He outlines the association’s mission. Excerpts by OLUYINKA ALAWODE.
ASBON was established in 2013 to promote collaboration between the Nigerian private sector and other stakeholders including the Nigerian Government. The objectives include:
•To maximise trade in Nigeria and other countries through a regular exchange of information among its members.
•To advise the governments on matters pertaining to trade relation.
•To advise members of the association on opportunities and problems, legislative and others, arising from the pursuit of trade in Nigeria and other countries.
•To ensure effective policy advocacy
Benefits
Members of the association have free access to, and benefit from activities such as Organising of conferences and seminars addressed by leading authorities in different fields, affording members the opportunity to get informed and discuss current key issues affecting Nigerian trade.
Representing members’ interests to all relevant government authorities Organising trade missions.
Providing information and market intelligence service on Nigeria trade through the association’s regular publications and through its multifaceted website.
Providing access to library and information data bank publication of a quarterly ASBON News Report on business, trade and legislative issues that are of interest to Nigeria business relations as well as the association’s members: and report new developments within member companies, and business opportunities of interest to members.
Membership
Virtually all business owners resident in Nigeria can join the association. They range from manufacturing, trade, agriculture, technology, import & export, artisanship, services and commercial enterprises in Nigeria, through medium size service companies to professional practice firms interested in or involved with the Nigeria business activities.
ASBON offers programmes and services generally, to serve the business needs of its members. We are committed to the success of the enterprises of all the company of our individual members and corporate members. By investing in the association, you are joining an association actively working to impact on the success of your organisation and business. Some of ASBON membership tangible benefits are outlined below:
Educational activities
These include educating and informing members on investment opportunities, organising seminars, workshops and training programmes for corporate members, business/professional associations as well as press conferences and releases to the press government and other media houses.
Governmental relations
Informing members about federal legislative development Encouraging and equipping members to express personal and knowledgeable views on legislative issues to their legislators Governmental regulations such as public advocacy programmes Assisting Federal Government by furnishing facts, statistics etc., covering industry, services and other businesses conducted by members of the association Maintaining a legislative or government relation’s committee to study and make recommendations concerning rational legislative issues.
Assisting members in connection with tariff, trade agreement, taxes and other levies representing members in tariff negotiation.
Lobbying to accomplish objectives of its membership
Nominating members to serve on government approved boards, commissions and committees.
Research
•Conducting research activities on economic and social issues affecting business and economy
•Submission of inputs (pre/post) annual budget to the federal government.
•Designing studies to improve products and/or services of members
•Providing data on business and the economy
Publications
We publish news letters, that is ASBON News and Economic Policy Update, ASBON Business Directory and Nigeria Guide, handbooks and manual, National Business Agenda, Annual Reports, Annual Wall Calendar, Legislative Alert
Standardisation
We ensure that members adhere to business codes and ethics, we issue attestation letters and referral to members on visa procurement, creating a number of network opportunities and act as a clearing house for business
Public relations
We maintain an on-going relationship between the association and the media, provide trade and professional journals with information on development about the businesses and services of members, providing members with information needed to grow their business, and conduct working visits to other associations, corporate organisations and business/professional associations to meet and discuss common problems and finding lasting solutions. We also provide mass media with stories and press releases concerning the association, run a weekly radio and television programme to sensitise the public about the activities, challenges and progress of the association, help business owners to obtain required government approvals and documents such as registration of business name and limited liability company registration with Corporate Affairs Commission, registration of trademark for product names, registration and approval from National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Customs and so on.