Innovative industries make inroads into global market
Creative local manufacturing and agrobased industries are making inroads into the global market, defying all odds to earn foreign exchange at a difficult moment.
British American Tobacco exports various forms of cigarette to many countries. In 2017, its shipped products valued at $145.48 million to Liberia, Guinea, Ghana, Cameroun, Cote D’ivoire and Niger, according to Central Bank of Nigeria export data.
Olam Nigeria exports many agro-based products such as sesame seeds (Dhs) and fermented cocoa beans. Olam exported these commodities worth $110.892 million to India, Netherlands, Poland, Syria, United Kingdom, Singapore, Turkey, Jordan, Poland, and Japan.
Also, Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Ltd exported $69.815 million worth of granular urea in bulk to Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina.
Indorama Eleme Fertiliser & Chemicals Limited got $1 billion from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in June last year for the construction of a new fertiliser plant in Nigeria.
Atlantic Shrimpers Limited shipped out $38.397 million worth of sea frozen shrimps and crabs to the Netherlands, China (Taiwan), United States Of America and Vietnam.
Tulip Cocoa Processing Limited was not left out as it exported cocoa cake, pure prime pressed and cocoa butter worth $32.60 million to Netherlands, Mexico and Spain.
De-united Foods Industries Limited gave a good account of itself, exporting $30.568 million worth of Indomie and Minimie noodles to Ghana, Cameroon and the United States of America.
As of 2013, De-united had been exporting Indo- mie noodles worth close to $30 million to he US, Businessday gathered.
More so, Dangote Cement Plc shipped out $ 21.496 million worth of grey ordinary Dangote Portland Limestone Cement (42.5R) to Niamey, Niger Republic, Togo and Ghana.
“Beside our continuous expansion, we also export to counties like Ghana, Benin and Togo. These are sources foreign exchange for our dear nation. Where ever we operate we operate as economic partners because we add value to the economy by creating employments,” Joseph Makoju, group managing director of Dangote Cement Plc, said on July 4 last year during a plant facility tour by officials of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
Rubber Estates Nigeria Limited exported technically specified natural rubber (tsnr) and processed renl 20 estimated at $20.392 million to Spain, France, Italy, Poland Spain and Singapore.
Guinness Nigeria Plc shipped out Malta Guinness and Guinness FES valued at $ 15.06 million to the United Kingdom, Ghana and Cameroon.
Beta Glass on its part shipped out bottles estimated at $14.134 million to Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia and Cape Verde.
Beta Glass’ 2016 financial statement showed that the company made N1.913 billion foreign exchange gain that year owing principally to its export sales focus to Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Flour Mills Of Nigeria exported recycled polypropylene black, wheat bran pellets, dried raw cashew nuts and plastic pvc valve bags to the United States Of America, Morocco and Vietnam.
Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria exported $3.87 million worth of Full Cream Milk Powder Peak (12x400g), Full Cream Unsweetened and Evaporated Peak Milk (96x30g) to Ghana and Sierra Leone.
“As a company, we will continue lead in steering economic solutions in the dairy sector and will continue to play a key role in the on-going efforts to improve and maximise the potentials of dairy farming in Nigeria,” Ben Langat, managing director of Frieslandcampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, said at Dairy Farmers’ Day held at Iseyin , Oyo State, in December 2017.
Nigerian Breweries also exports its malt and beer brands to African countries.
According to Muda Yusuf, director-general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), one of the ways in which Nigerian exporters can increase their dominance of the global market is by being competitive and pervious to adequate information.
“Trade is about competition. If you have all the agreements and you are not competitive, you will make no headway,” said Yusuf.
“Many of the industries that are surviving in the country are doing so on the basis of protection. You have to be price and quality competitive and sometimes there is insufficient information and awareness among exporters, which should not be so,” he said.