NEPC, Nigerian Customs engage stakeholders on informal cross-border trade
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) have concluded a stakeholders’ engagement focused on mainstreaming informal cross-border trade in Saki.
Held at the Westland Hotel in Saki, Oyo State, the event aimed to enhance economic development through organized trade practices and data collection.
Representing the NEPC’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, 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.”
Under the theme “Mainstreaming Informal Cross-Border Trade and Data Collection for Enhanced Economic Development,” the engagement provided a platform for stakeholders to share experiences related to cross-border trade. Addressing the issue of poor road conditions in Saki, Itah 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.”
Discussing the broader goals of the initiative, Itah said, “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.”
He 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, we had to come here.”
