Nigeria: FG Unveils Strategy to Improve Non-Oil Export At Daily Trust Summit

Kano — Development of enabling environment, sustained capacity building, market intelligence, coordination and specific competitive strategies for different areas and products, with clear metrics, reward and sanctions regime are key focus for the present administration to boost non-oil export, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, of the two-day National Business Summit/Exhibition organized by Daily Trust in partnership with Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) he said although successive Nigerian governments have sought to diversify the economy little has been achieved thus far. This is not surprising because in a globalizing world economy, breaking into the dynamic export market is not for the faint hearted.

The summit themed 'Unlocking the Agric and Solid Mineral Sectors for Quick-Win Development in the North-West', was organized for the North-western states of Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kaduna and Zamfara.

Represented by the Managing Director Bank of Agriculture, Professor Danbala Danju, the minister described the summit as timely, noting that it is evident the emergence of oil in Nigeria has led the country through the so-called Dutch disease mechanism to the relative appreciation of Naira exchange, thereby making imports cheaper and exports expensive.

Declaring the summit open, Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who was represented by the state Commissioner of Information Malam Mohammed Garba, revealed that the summit couldn't have come in better time than now when the country is making frantic effort to diversify its economy.