Anambra community eyes forex boost, trains youths to drive export to the diaspora

A foreign exchange boosting plan may have been hatched using export drive as the plank. The plan is being experimented in Anambra State, South-East Nigeria, by an institute, export promotion group, and business owners.

The plan is to train youths of particular connections who would then form a cooperative society to begin export business in most professional manner, getting their product sourcing, packaging, certification, registration, etc, correctly.

Now, no fewer than 40 youths of Nibo community, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have joined the effort by training to drive Diaspora export from Nigeria.

The two-day training organized by the Institute of Export Operations and Management (IEOM), and sponsored by an illustrious son of the town, Innocent Akuvue, has as its theme; “Nibo to the world: Driving Diaspora Export from Nigeria”.

Ofon Udofia, newly graduated doctorate degree holder from the University of Port Harcourt in International Trade and Finance, who also is the IEOM Executive Secretary, said the training was aimed at ensuring that indigenes of Nibo and other south-east areas abroad have access to same Nigerian local foods, while also creating job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths.

“We want to start feeding our people abroad as if they were living in Nibo. We thank the former President-General (PG of Nibo Community), Innocent Akuvue, who has sponsored this. He has assured them that he will do everything possible to ensure his people participate actively in business exportation.”

He revealed another reason, saying it is for the youths to look into the Diaspora export potentials and go into the export market to change the higher dollar exchange in importation narrative. They can export local agricultural products – Cassava derivatives (garir, fufu, starch), maize and palm oil.

“Others are Ologbu (bitter leaf), Ugu (pumpkin) leaves, Ogbono (Irvingia gabonensis), Dry Fish, Ukpa (oil bean seed), Spices, etc, which those of them abroad buy from the Chinese, India, and shops from other nationals in high foreign currencies.”

Udofia said the idea was to use export to remove the teeming unemployed youths from the streets. “This is what the PG intends to do. We want to expose Nibo to the world. I am optimistic that these young men and women will not fail us because the market is already there.”

Udofia urged the youths to form a cooperative society as well as make their export businesses formal to boost foreign exchange earnings. He said some Nigerians indulge in informal export, saying this is seriously affecting them while trying to market their products abroad without adequate knowledge to negotiation with foreign partners.

“You have to be truthful about yourself, acquire export knowledge, marketing and product that meets international demands, quality, compliance standards and ICT compliance.

“They should also know that Nigerian businessmen lose so much in business dealings, even in African countries, should products not be supported by proper documentation and regulation.

“With the license, we start packaging and producing our products to send to Nibo persons in the diaspora and by extension to every other Igbo person that will be there who wants to eat as if he’s living in his village,” Udofia explained

He regretted that no Nigerian university offers Export Studies as a course. “If government helps the students to be self-reliant, getting thousands of Anambra youths into export, it will be to the advantage of the state.”

Peter Udom, the State Coordinator of Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), lauded the training modules, expressing optimism that the youths will optimize the benefit of the training. “I’m happy with what the Institute of Exports and Operations Management and the GGI Ltd. are doing, connecting Nibo to the world.

“Sensitizing the youths to mainstream their products and stimulate production both agro products, semi-processed, processed, and even services to the world.

“I call on the state government to ensure that the farms are safe because if you want to go into agro exports, the first player in the value chain are the farmers. If the farming environment is not safe, how will there be products to export?”

He said the programme was enlightening the youth on the essence of food safety. “In Europe and other parts of the world, food safety is key. We have been able to put them through to certification, the stages they have to undertake before they can be export-ready.

“So, it now lies on the participants and the senior citizens in Nibo, both at home and in the diaspora, to ginger them, to get export-ready, get all documents that will enable them to go global. I believe, by God’s grace, before December 2025, with the efforts of IEOM and GGI Ltd. and other partners, Nibo must be able to export to the world.”

Tony Nwokoye, professor and President-General of the town, urged the beneficiaries of the training not to waste the rare opportunities given to them. “This indeed is a rare and I urge them to maximize it. Sometimes, youths complain that they have no job and no one is helping.

“Nobody can help you when you have not made efforts to trigger such help. None would help somebody who will waste the money given and go about castigating the benefactor. Our people are very dynamic. They’re very philanthropic in nature. They’re always willing to help. But you have to show that you deserve the help.”

The beneficiaries, including Obinna Agunwa, the Youth leader; Obiora Ozoemena, Secretary; and one Chinenye Nnadozie, were all thankful to IEOM and their benefactor, former PG for the intervention.

They promised not to betray the confidence reposed in them. “It’s a very impactful training. So, we have learnt how to source our products, package, and send to our people in the diaspora. Sourcing the products and funding may pose a challenge but we are capable and determined to take on the challenges,” Agunwa said.

Obiora Ozoemena spoke in the same vein. “In fact, I’m so much surprised that things we underrated can bring a lot of profits. This training opened my eyes. The next thing is stepping it down to others, and also getting more sponsors like Ochudo Nibo.

Chinenye Nnadozie, said, “I have been able to learn how to expand my business, how we can export our products to our brothers and sisters abroad. Coming together as a community, we can achieve greater things through this process.

“We don’t need to start with much capital because we have someone that can help us in the packaging. Rather we only need to come together as a community that we want to achieve this and we shall get it done,” Nnadozie added.

Source: Businessday.ng | Continue to Full Story…