By Ibrahim Musa
The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed a preference for the export of processed commodities as against the export of raw materials as a measure taken to reduce the rejection of Nigeria’s exported commodities at the international market.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, during an interactive session with government officials and members of the business community in Kano State.
The minister stated that the level at which Nigerian commodities are being rejected abroad is worrisome as it negatively affects the nation’s economy adding that the federal government will collaborate with all stakeholders in addressing the matter.
“It affects the economy and we shall collaborate with the commodity traders to ensure improvement in their export commodities to reverse the trend,” she stated.
The minister explained that the federal government is also planning to establish new Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs) clusters as well as strengthen the existing ones across the federation with access to subsidized inputs, power, access roads, and other infrastructure necessary to drive the industries and SMEs to greater productivity and profitability.
Similarly, in his address, Kano state Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf stated that the state government has been doing a lot in moving the state forward, represented by the governor’s Chief of Staff Shehu Wada Sagagi, Governor Yusuf urged the minister to bring in measures that would simplify trading through addressing the bottlenecks usually experienced by traders and industrialists.
The minister also visited some companies and other commodity business establishments in the state such as Gerawa Oil Mills along Hadejia Road, Dala Inland Dry Port in Zawachiki, and Kano Tannery at Challawa Industrial Estate, Kano among others.
