The Edo State Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Afishetu Braimoh, has said that the State has sufficient raw materials and the production capacity to meet the growing demand for made-in-Edo products.
Braimoh made the assertion while delivering her goodwill message at a one-day export sensitization seminar with the theme ‘Leveraging the Export Opportunities in Edo for Increased Export Drive’ organized by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in Benin City.
According to her, “Made-in-Edo products are receiving a high level of patronage in the international market. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)’ promoters are working on their products to ensure they satisfy the standards required of them to access the international market.
“Well-processed foods are being more properly packaged; MSMEs are adopting more insights in their ways of doing things; there is more awareness of best practices; and there is a greater need for diversification of the economy.”
She assured: “As for us as a government, we are doing everything possible to ensure that we do not simply follow the trend but are more focused on providing MSMEs with the necessary critique and support in order to maximize the export potential of Made-in-Edo products.”
The Commissioner added that “From April to June this year, the Ministry trained 626 MSMEs across the three senatorial districts of the State on financial literacy. The Ministry is still nurturing these MSMEs by creating awareness of financial and other growth opportunities.”
Earlier, Head of the NEPC Benin Office, Dr. Andrew Okilu, said the council is ever more proactive in seeing the non-oil export sub-sector become the major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, and added, “Hence, we are always building the capacity of our exporters to support them all the way to see them succeed.”
