Nigeria Import-Export Trade Info Portal

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Apapa Gridlock: Drivers Bath Inside Container, Defaecate in Takeaway Packs

The situation of the gridlock in Apapa has compel the truck drivers and their motor-boys to be living a very deplorable life. The infrastructure of Apapa, a major hub for government revenue generation was neglected for such a long time, and these have led to the need to do a major repair that is currently going at a snail speed for over a year. This has led to a very sharp decline in the non-oil export volume in Nigeria from 12% in Q1 to 3.6% in Q3 of 2018.

Our investigation revealed that a number of the drivers cannot go home even if they live in Lagos. They are forced to sleep in the truck because of thieves and vandals who will come and remove the truck battery and other valuable parts from the truck while they are away. They practically sleep with one eye opened so as to prevent these thieves from carrying out this kind of operation on their trucks under the cover of darkness.

There was a case of one of the driver who has been on the road for more than 2weeks during which his wife delivered in Lagos and he had to tell them to go ahead and do the naming ceremony in his absence. This is because he cannot afford to leave the truck on the road and go home due to fear of theft and vandalization before he returns.

It is also horrible to know that a number of the drivers have theirs baths inside empty containers at the back of the flatbed trucks. They had to get buckets and then arrange for water at different locations while in transit and use this to have their bath inside the empty containers.

Since they had to eat and hence attend to the call of nature when necessary. These truck divers and their boys have turned the takeaway packs in which their purchased daily meals are served into the carrier of their faeces and these are dumped on the roadside or nearby bush.

The case of Apapa which has been neglected by successive administrations for many years has now constitute national disgrace which the current administration needs to give priority and tackle headlong in the shortest possible time so as to enhance the growth in non-oil export and hence the export proceeds inflow into the country.

Bamidele Ayemibo

bayemibo@3timpex.com

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Export Digest Newsletter - Global Export Near $19.6tr in 2018 Amid Slow Economic Recovery

Dear Readers

Please find below Nigeria's Foremost Trade Newsletter - Export Digest

In This Week's Edition of Export Digest Newsletter - Global Export Near $19.6tr in 2018 Amid Slow Economic Recovery

To read the full details of this edition of Export Digest, Click Here

Regards

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Non-Oil Export Drops To 3.4%, 2018 Banker’s Retreat Theme Timely

The recently released foreign trade data of the third quarter of 2018 by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the there is a further decline in the non-oil export volume from 4.6% in Q2 to 3.4% in Q3 and this has made the renewed focus of Banker Committee on the growth of non-oil export to be timely.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele has tasked the Managing Director of all Nigerian Banks on the need to grow the non-oil export proceeds to match and even surpass that of the foreign direct investment and foreign portfolio investment flowing into the Nigerian economy. He said this at the weekend during the 10th Annual Banker's Committee Retreat with the theme Export-Led Transformation Of the Economy - Engine For Sustainable Inclusive Growth.

The programme had in attendance all Managing Directors of Merchant Banks, Developmental Banks and Commercial Banks in Nigerian including the management team of the CBN. The CBN Governor promised to do all within its power to stop all trade practices that are sabotaging the Nigerian economy and encourage all businesses that have the potential to create jobs and grow the volume of proceeds received from non-oil export done in the country.

The current reduction in the price of crude oil in the international market coupled with the continuous reduction in the contributions of non-oil export to the total export volume from Nigeria attest to the fact that the focus of this year Banker’s Committee retreat is very timely. If the bankers present at the retreat will go back to their various banks to start implementing the lessons learnt, then we should expects to see an increase in the non-oil export volume from Nigeria in the incoming year.

This renewed drive and commitment on the part of the CBN and Bank MDs to grow non-oil export volume in Nigeria has therefore made it necessary for Bankers that wants to be relevant in the new year and subsequent years to grow their skills and competence in Export Trade Finance and Export Business Management.

We will like to therefore present to bankers, from the American Institute of Extended Studies, the Executive Diploma in Export Trade Finance and Export Business Management. These are necessary certification and trade programmes that will help them strengthen their relevance and grow their careers as a marketer, risk managers and trade desk officers/managers in the Banking sector.

The admission for the new batch is currently on going and the Lectures will start late January 2019. To be part of this programme please chat or call 08091244449 or send a mail to tradeacademy@3timpex.com to get the registration form and prospectus.

Bamidele Ayemibo

bayemibo@3timpex.com