NEPC to host made-in-Nigeria goods exhibition in Lome

Nigeria is set to hold Solo-Exhibition of Nigerian Manufactured Products in OTI hall of the Centre, Lome, Togo, from July 27 – August 10, this year.

This was revealed by Aliyu Mohammed Lawal, director, Trade Information Department of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), who represented David Adulugba, executive director/CEO of NEPC, during the opening of a one-day interactive session in Lagos recently to prepare participants for the 2013 Solo-Exhibition of Nigerian Manufactured Products in Lome, later in the year.

According to Lawal, NEPC took the informed decision to organise the exhibition to boost the penetration and acceptance of Nigerian products in the entire ECOWAS, after her participation in the 10th Lome International Trade Fair, December 2012, where Matthew Sunday Adoli, Nigerian ambassador to Togo, reasoned that the Republic of Togo would make a perfect trade-hub for distribution of Nigerian manufactured goods within ECOWAS countries.

Importantly, statistical records of Nigerian export destination reveal that ECOWAS market represents 11 percent in order of export to other continents. Despite the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the principle of free trade and movement of persons among member states, the level of trade among member States within the region is insignificant.

For instance, a table has explained that the trade direction of Nigerian exports to the top 10 destinations. The Nigerian total export to ECOWAS compared with other countries is less than 13 percent. Statistics also gave a vivid account of the value of Nigerian export to 14 countries of the ECOWAS with Ghana taking lead followed by Niger, while Togo ranked third as our trading partner in ECOWAS.

It would be recalled that Nigeria has in the past stamped its presence in most West African States but has not been able to effectively penetrate the Francophone parts who mostly import from France, despite the liberalisation of trade within the sub region. The timely decision to stage the exhibition became more imperative considering the strategic location of Togo.

More so, the event would assist to curb the large spate of informal trade between the two countries.