The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has expressed deep concern over the limited involvement of businesses in Nigeria's export sector, attributing it largely to bureaucratic red tape and complex regulatory hurdles. To address this, the association has launched a support platform designed to assist micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in overcoming barriers to international trade.
This development comes amid growing calls from stakeholders for the integration of export studies into tertiary education curricula to further enhance participation in Nigeria's non-oil export sector. Speaking at an event held at the NACCIMA secretariat in Ikeja, Lagos, the Chairman of the NACCIMA Export Group, Kola Awe, emphasized that the initiative aims to improve export performance. He noted that only a small fraction of registered exporters account for a significant portion of the country's export value.
Awe pointed out that despite Nigeria's large population, export participation remains weak. He stressed that the non-oil export sector holds immense potential to stabilize the economy if properly developed. According to him, the complexity of export processes has discouraged many small businesses from participating, as transactions often involve multiple agencies and compliance with various international regulations.
“The export sector is very complex. You are dealing with different international laws and multiple regulatory requirements. For a single transaction, you engage with about six or seven, close to ten agencies,” he said. He added that these difficulties frequently lead to failed transactions, discouraging first-time exporters from trying again. “When there is complexity and difficulty, what happens is a shortcut. A shortcut leads to rejection. That is why many try once and never want to try again,” Awe explained.
To tackle these challenges, NACCIMA has established the Export Express Support Centre, a practical intervention aimed at simplifying export processes and providing direct support to businesses. “The centre is built on knowledge, training, innovation and support. We are not charging anybody for knowledge. It is a platform for exporters to get the information and assistance they need,” Awe said. He elaborated that the centre would go beyond advisory services by offering hands-on support to resolve issues related to logistics, documentation, procurement, and regulatory compliance.
NACCIMA National President, Dr. Jani Ibrahim, described the centre as a one-stop hub designed to guide exporters and strengthen their capacity to compete in regional and global markets. “It will serve as a one-stop hub providing guidance, tools and technical support to exporters, helping them navigate documentation, meet standards and access new markets with confidence,” he stated. He emphasized that strengthening Nigeria's export ecosystem requires practical support systems in addition to policy frameworks.
At the event, Polaris Bank Plc donated equipment to support the take-off of the centre, a move that stakeholders described as critical to building the infrastructure needed for export development. Executive Director of the bank, Chris Ofikulu, said the intervention reflects the urgency of positioning Nigerian businesses for global markets.
