The Adamawa Government has reiterated its commitment to creating a conducive environment for traders to package and export their goods for greater profitability.
The Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Industries, Dr Ishaya John Dabari, said this at a town hall meeting with traders from Yola North, Yola South, Fufore and Girei LGAs on Friday in Yola.
The meeting, held at the Deputy Governor’s Conference Hall, was in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER).
Dabari said the sensitisation programme, which covered the 21 LGAs of the state, was in line with Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s directive to improve the ease of doing business and boost non-oil exports.
“We have visited the southern and northern zones, and this concludes our engagement with traders in the central zone. The aim is to raise awareness on proper export procedures and compliance,” Dabari said.
He said the state had introduced reforms to remove trade barriers, including harmonisation of taxes, establishment of special courts for resolving trade disputes, and the adoption of ICT in transactions.
The commissioner expressed concern over the low uptake of the ₦2 billion Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank fund available to traders, urging them to take advantage of it.
Mrs Saso Benson, Permanent Secretary in the ministry and Chairperson of the State Committee on Export Promotion (SCEP), said Adamawa was underrepresented in national export statistics despite its vast agricultural and industrial potential.
She urged traders to comply with export standards, especially in the use of agrochemicals, and to obtain necessary certification and registration for exports.
The NEPC Regional Coordinator, Dr Ben Anani, said the council would continue to support exporters through training, access to funding, and guidance on standardisation and packaging.
“We are concerned about the low participation of women in export activities and are working to address it,” he said.
Chairman of Yola South LGA, Barr. Jibril Ibrahim Jimeta, commended the campaign and urged traders to seize the opportunities.
Chairman of Gamzaki Traders Union, Ali Kachalla, thanked the governor for his support and pledged to spread the knowledge gained.
The event ended with an interactive session, where traders asked questions and sought clarifications on export-related issues.
