The Federal Government has pledged commitment to advance Nigeria’s export service sector through digital platforms to promote the nation’s economy.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite made this known at a Conference on Service Export, organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) on Tuesday in Abuja.
The conference which attracted stakeholders from oil and non-oil sectors, captains of industries, bankers among others has ‘Charting the Course for Nigeria’s Service Export through Digital Trade Platforms’ as its theme.
Explaining the importance of the forum, Uzoka-Anite described the conference as an important step toward unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s service export industry.
Represented by Amb. Nura Rimi, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Uzoka-Anite said the global trade landscape was undergoing significant changes with services and e-commerce becoming central to economic growth.
According to her, the service sector in particular, has emerged as a powerful engine for innovation, job creation, and economic diversification and Nigeria, being blessed with rich talents should not be left behind.
“Nigeria, blessed with a rich talent pool and thriving industries such as IT, finance, creative arts, and professional services, is well-positioned to take a leadership role in the global services market.
“Central to today’s discussion is the transformative power of digital platforms in global trade.
“These platforms have revolutionised the way businesses connect, providing vast opportunities for service providers to expand internationally.
“The federal government is committed to creating an enabling environment for the vision. Our economic agenda places digital trade and e-commerce at the core of our service sector strategy,” she said.
The minister said the emergence of digital trade platforms had helped break down traditional barriers, facilitate cross-border transactions, and drive export inclusiveness, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
She expressed hope that the initiative to develop a digital platform dedicated to boosting Nigeria’s services export would be both timely and strategic.
“Through sustained growth and development, this platform will not only provide viable market access opportunities but also structure efforts to mainstream women and the skilled, talented youth populace into the global economy.
“It will thereby, promote economic diversification which will not only benefit the service sector but also make a significant contribution to the overall economy,” she said.
Earlier, Nonye Ayeni, the Executive Director of NEPC, while reiterating the importance of promoting service, said the council was mandated to promote development and diversification of non-oil export.
Ayeni said there were a lot of services which remained untapped in Nigeria, adding that the conference was aimed at addressing some of such issues to advance Nigeria’s economy.
She said service structure was one of the requirements Nigeria needed for foreign exchange to stabilise the currency which could also lead to sustainable economic growth and development.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Alhaji Bamaga Usman, represented by Mrs Cynthia Egurudu, lauded NEPC for the initiative of exploring more ways to promote Nigeria’s economy.
He said the conference was a platform dedicated to generating ideas, sharing insights and exploring best practices to drive the growth, development and diversification of Nigeria’s economy through export services.