Nigerian vendors eye UN’s $6b services market

NEPC tasks investors on non-oil export business 

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has tasked stakeholders in the value-chain sector to tap into the global supply chain through opportunities at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), noting that there are only 886 registered vendors on the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM) platform.

Speaking at capacity building programme for stakeholders in the non-oil sector, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo noted that the United Nations, which includes many affiliated agencies, represents an international market of over $6 billion for suppliers of vrtually all types of goods and services, adding that Nigeria cannot afford to ignore such a market.

Similarly, the agency urged Nigerians to harness opportunities in the non-oil sector to improve non-oil earnings as well as market penetration of locally made goods in the global market.

Awolowo, who was represented by the Director, Market Development Department, Mathew Iranloye at a forum in Lagos, said: “On a daily basis, organisations of the United Nations System are making efforts to identify new sources of supply, particularly from developing countries in order to create and expanded and more equitable geographical distribution of procurement. This market, I believe, is worthy of exploring by our exporters as it provides an excellent springboard to introducing Nigerian goods and services to other countries and regions.

Nigeria has tremendous potential to become key suppliers and providers to the United Nations agencies if efforts are geared towards meeting standards and complying with international best practices in our production and processing methods.

United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) Project Analyst, Susan Rendtorff urged the stakeholders to adhere to the guidelines of the agencies in order to increase their chances of market access.

Similarly, NEPC Zonal Controller, George Enyiekpon in his keynote address during a seminar on Export for beginners themed, “Opportunities in non oil export and market penetration strategy” held in Abeokuta recently, said: “From our records, many genuine exporters have “burnt their fingers” in the process of attempts to export non oil products due to lack of authentic information and guidelines to lead them through the export trade pathway.
“Expectedly, such experiences however have resulted in unpalatable consequences, thus impending on efforts to strive further for international market share for their products”.

On her part, Head Trade information Department of NEPC, Lagos, Mrs. Odega Fransisca, while speaking on measures to be deployed before exporting goods, urged intending exporters to adhere to standards and other regulatory requirements, while constantly updating themselves on products accepted in the export market.

In his presentation, Head Admin and Human Resources NEPC, Olagunju Yakubu, noted that it has become imperative for exporters to package their goods properly before taking them abroad.