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Lagos, others train MSMEs on exporting to US

Lagos State has partnered Africa Import and Export Solutions Limited, as well as Export and Sell, USA, to train Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on the opportunities available and how to export to the USA.

The training, themed ‘Export to Wealth’, focused on warehousing, dispatching, export licensing, accessing profitability software window, finding buyers, listing and management on Amazon, opening bank account and filing trademark and others.

Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade & Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos has a mandate to grow local production capacity to meet export needs through AfCFTA, ‘and it is currently working on steps to encourage exporters to leverage agreement among other platforms for export’.

She added: “The state is ready to play strategic role to encourage trade and investments to combat poverty and unemployment, and it has tasked the State Working Group on AfCFTA to deploy innovative strategies to identify MSMEs, with various trade and investment opportunities, that can be supported for product export in the state.

“With the government’s efforts, MSMEs in the state are expected to be actively engaged in AfCFTA market. This training, tilizati by Africa Import and Export Solutions and Export and Sell USA, will further expose them to the processes, procedures and opportunities required. This is why we decided to partner in this programme.

“With more attention being turned to non-oil exports in line with global sustainability drive, Nigeria can benefit from the exploitation and tilization of raw materials and production along the value chain, which can positively impact its development and survival as it leads to capacity utilization of many industries, with consequent improvement of the standard of living of its citizens.”

Chairman of Export & Sell, Nduka Udeh, described the training as critical to empowering participants with information needed to break the barriers against exporting local products. “The key is preparing the products for export to prevent their rejection, and we are looking forward to stronger collaboration with Lagos State government to further deepen this knowledge among MSMEs, he noted.”

Chief Executive Officer of African Import & Export Solutions Limited, Bisola Esan, reiterated that businesses would be shown how they can take their products global and earn in dollars.

She added: “From selling on platforms like Amazon and African stores across the USA, to reaching customers through US retail stores and wholesale distribution, the possibilities are endless. Our team of experts will guide attendees on everything from identifying export-worthy products to packaging them to meet international standards, shipping them hassle-free and providing the most affordable warehousing options to them in the US.”