The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has collaborated with the Nigerian Customs Service for more organised trade practices and data collection at border towns in order to enhance economic development. At the stakeholders’ engagement, focused on mainstreaming informal cross-border trade in Saki, Oyo State, NEPC’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by Director, Trade Information Department, Dr. Joe Itah, emphasised the crucial role of border towns in Nigeria as trade hubs.
Ayeni stated:”Border towns are important trade hubs which should be more organised to bring benefits to the country.” The engagement with the theme: ‘Mainstreaming Informal Cross-Border Trade and Data Collection for Enhanced Economic Development’, provided a platform for stakeholders to share experiences related to cross-border trade.
Addressing the issue of poor road conditions in Saki, Ayeni remarked: “We have seen the deplorable state of the road and we know that the government is doing something positive to ensure the road is fixed to serve the people. When we go back, we shall talk about what the country is missing with the state of the road and something positive will be done.”
Ayeni also highlighted the importance of educating the public on the government’s data capturing operations regarding cross-border trade, while saying, “we are not coming as tax collectors, we are not coming to take away jobs from your people. Instead, we want to enhance what you do.” Discussing the broader goals of the initiative, Ayeni stated: “We are here to make food available for the people and out of that, they should have something left for export. The Federal and State Governments are aware we are here.
“We plead that the traditional rulers sensitise the people to cooperate with us. We have some small papers to fill, we need to make the people know how to earn hard currency and have enough to send their children to school.” Ayeni further noted the strategic importance of Saki, explaining, “this is not the first place we are visiting, this is the second place. We were at Kebbi where we visited four border towns. Then because of the importance of Saki, that is why we are here.”
Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, represented by Assistant Controller Mr. Elijah Kayode, emphasised the importance of collaboration between NEPC and NCS. He said: “The collaboration between the NEPC and the Nigerian Customs Service is aimed at doubling the country’s foreign reserve earnings.
This is why the Nigerian Customs Service is in collaboration with the NEPC for exports to double and increase foreign exchange, and besides, statistics records are very important for us to know our volume of trade in a year.” He further highlighted the need for proper documentation and record-keeping to generate accurate statistical data from informal cross-border trade. “Without proper documentation or record keeping, there will be no accurate statistical data generated from the informal cross-border trade,” he stated.
