Strengthening the structure of Trade Associations in the Non-oil Export sector for better Governance and Leadership

This dialogue explores the alternative ways to provide market access to the southeast business hubs from Aba through Onitsha. COVID19 has caused businesses to reimagine their trade value-chain working actively to diversify roles. This dialogue explores ways that new technologies can help bridge the gap between buyers, sellers, and manufacturers.

The Trade Policy Work Stream started out by conducting a needs assessment to get direct feedback from export-oriented MSMEs, export-supporting government institutions, and export business service providers to ascertain the capacity gaps. The top 5 challenges highlighted by the respondents include lack of market linkages, lack of finance, lack of market intelligence, limited knowledge of destination country requirements, and Export documentation.

Respondents were further asked about what they would like to see if there is an opportunity for assistance with capacity building for export readiness and export market access. Each responded provided its top 3 areas of preference for capacity building. The findings from the overall assessment provided a guide on areas to address.

In response to their needs, TRD workstream designed a targeted capacity building for the non-oil export community of practice to address the knowledge and skill gaps through a 4-part Export Capacity Building (CB) Series.

This is a study carried out to provide the management of YouWiN  with an improved approach they can adopt to encourage women’s participation in the business plan competition. It was conducted in 2012 with the support of FCDO (formerly DFID). Based on the findings and lessons from the study, recommendations were made for consideration by the management of the YouWiN programme to increase the number of women participating, winning grants and running sustainable businesses under the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria Programme (YouWiN!)

This event report summarises the fifth of a series of forums aimed at improving access to finance for non-oil exporters in Nigeria. It focuses on how exporters can gain access to foreign markets and conform to local and international standards.

With the global COVID-19 pandemic came the need for local manufacturers to step up to the challenge and produce face masks, face shields, and PPEs due to dwindling supplies caused by high demand the world over. The support provided by government agencies to these entrepreneurs was critical, this in turn was derived from the technical advice supplied by the PDF Bridge programme under the Trade Policy Workstream through dialogues, studies, and roundtable events. The workstream focuses on non-oil exports by bringing underrepresented voices into economic policy and strengthening the participation of exporter groups in trade. The workstream engaged with representatives of Abia State Government during its dialogues particularly with the Director-General of the Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency (ASMQMA). This engagement led to increased capacity and redirection of strategy for the Aba Textile cluster in the production and distribution of finished goods. With help from the State Government’s agency on quality and standardization, Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency (ASMQMA), tailors generated an estimated $4-5million for the Nigerian economy from Abia State alone from the production of PPEs. This created a 110% increase in tailoring personnel.