Fresh advocacy for export as import- dependency ratio hits 95%

DEPENDENCY on importation further deepened last year, with the air freight export- to- import ratio through international airports now five- to- 95 per cent.

The estimate, courtesy of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company( NAHCO Avian ce) Plc, suggests a further di pin export fortunes, and much worry for the stakeholders.

It will be recalled that the export of international air cargo has bee non a steady decline since 2017. About seven years ago, the country had an import- to- export ratio of 66: 34. It dropped to 84: 16 in 2018; 86: 14 in 2019; 89: 11 in 2020, and 87to- 13 in 2021.

The Guardian had reported that besides mails that topped cargo net export in 2021 and 2022, the country slumped in the export of agricultural produce following a high rate of rejections and prohibitions overseas over poor packaging, documentation, and alleged noncompliance with set standards.

While regulators routinely blame exporters for the failure of due diligence, operators push back on regulatory bottleneck sat airports, one-too-many local agencies, conflicting guidelines, high cost of freight, multiple charges, and extortions even on goods that are not prohibited.

Group Managing Director of NAHCO A viance, Indranil Gupta, said the current narratives and gross underutilisation of export potential in Nigeria and other African countries, are not in the best interest of the continent.

Gupta, addressing reporters recently, said the continent has enormous export produce of global interest, but the countries should begin with their promotion within Africa for wealth distribution.

He said Nigeria alone is a “continental food basket” given its fertile land and farming potential but lacking in strategic marketing to other African countries and the world.

Indeed, Nigeria has an abundant residue of natural resources that are begging for value addition. One of such is agricultural produce harvested from states across the federation, estimated to be worth about $ 250 billion in revenue yearly.

He said: “Nigeria can be the breadbasket of the continent. That can happen if producers of the goods are aware of their rich potential for both intercontinental and intracontinental trade.

“If they are, they will push state cargo operators to put ( airport) facilities in the line of their needs. Fufu can have more attractions in several African countries than in the globe. The same for mangoes. I know that Gabon craves for mangoes coming from Mali and Nigeria. Nigeria breadbasket is a tagline, but it has a lot of meanings behind it. We should develop the market to reach other African countries first,” Gupta said.

He added that there is a crucial export hurdle in connecting farmers and middlemen to the right markets, and NAHCO Aviance has been supporting bridging that gap and improving export volume.

“Currently, our cargo is nearly 95 per cent import- dependent, tying us to the country’s economic capabilities. Meanwhile, exporting earns dollars, providing foreign exchange, which is a more advantageous approach for the nation,” he said.

Already, NAHCO Aviance has put in place an export processing zone in Lagos, with plans to have four others across major airports nationwide.

Head of Commercial & Business Development, Saheed Lasisi, highlights training of personnel overseas, to facilitate standard packaging and acceptance of Nigerian produce globally.

Lasisi stressed the importance of proper packaging, ensuring compliance with international standards and avoiding embargoes on export produce.