Export processing dominated discussions in Lagos on Tuesday as the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, NAHCO Aviance, partnered with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture to host a capacity-building forum for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. The engagement focused on preparing SMEs for international markets while strengthening Nigeria’s non-oil air export ecosystem.
The forum brought together exporters, regulators, airlines, logistics providers and financial institutions, all united by concern over Nigeria’s weak export processing systems. Participants agreed that without improved handling, packaging and regulatory compliance, Nigerian products would continue to struggle in global markets despite strong domestic production capacity.
Speaking at the event, Group Executive Director, Business and Business Development, NAHCO Plc, Prince Saheed Lasisi, said the company had renewed its commitment to boosting Nigeria’s non-oil revenue base. He explained that NAHCO had aligned its strategy with the Federal Government’s vision of achieving a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030.
“A major focus of the government in achieving this goal is commodity exports,” Lasisi said. “And to record the needed volume in commodity exports, the nation needs the small and medium enterprises.”
He noted that while SMEs remain critical to national development, many lack the technical capacity required for effective export processing. According to him, this gap remains one of the biggest obstacles to scaling Nigeria’s non-oil exports.
Lasisi said exporting agro-products and commodities requires specialised logistics, strict handling standards and reliable infrastructure. He stressed that export processing failures often occur before cargo reaches the aircraft, therefore undermining exporters’ credibility.
“Exporting agro products and commodities requires strong logistics and handling backbone,” he said. “NAHCO sits at the centre of the export value chain.”
He explained that NAHCO serves as the link between exporters, airlines and regulators, therefore coordinating the various stages of export processing. In this role, the company provides exporters with guidance that directly affects cargo acceptance and market access.
“We provide necessary guidance in cargo handling, including quality of product preservation, regulatory compliance, on-time flight connections and acceptance requirements by international buyers,” Lasisi said.
According to him, inadequate packaging, documentation errors and poor temperature control remain common causes of export rejection. He said strengthening export processing at the airport level would significantly reduce losses and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness.
Export processing infrastructure and SME readiness
Lasisi highlighted NAHCO’s investment in export processing infrastructure designed to address these persistent gaps. He disclosed that the company had established a specialised packaging facility within the airport environment, following approval by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
“We have provided, with FAAN’s approval, a proper packaging facility in the airport area,” he said. “Our packaging area is in the NAHCO Export Packaging and Processing Centre, the only one of its kind in Nigeria, and we started operations in July last year.”
He added that NAHCO also operates an Export Desk dedicated to supporting exporters, particularly SMEs navigating international trade for the first time. According to him, these initiatives are aimed at improving compliance, reducing delays and enhancing export reliability.
Delivering his presentation, Chairman, NACCIMA Export Group, Kola Awe Esq., said NACCIMA had introduced structured initiatives to assist smaller businesses facing export challenges. He explained that the NACCIMA Export Support Centre for MSMEs was created to address constraints affecting export processing and business scale.
“The average exporter faces a lot of challenges,” Awe said. “A lot of exporters are finding it difficult to scale their businesses because of so many challenges.”
He observed that multinational exporters are better positioned largely due to financial strength, while MSMEs struggle to absorb export-related risks. According to him, targeted support remains essential if SMEs are to compete globally.
Awe highlighted the economic weight of small businesses, noting that Nigeria has an estimated 39.6 million MSMEs, despite recent declines driven by economic pressures. He said MSMEs play strong roles in agriculture, manufacturing and retail, therefore making export processing support critical.
“MSMEs contribute significantly to the Nigerian economy,” he said. “This is why we need to provide support for MSMEs.”
In his welcome address, Director General, NACCIMA, Engr. Sola Obadimu, said the collaboration between NAHCO and NACCIMA demonstrated the importance of private-sector partnerships in agro-export growth. He noted that MSMEs account for between 80 and 90 per cent of Nigerian businesses and employ more than 80 per cent of the workforce.
“Yet, their contribution to exports remains mostly disproportionate,” Obadimu said. “If more SMEs embrace export, we can change the narrative.”
He added that although agriculture contributes over 20 per cent of Nigeria’s gross domestic product, agro-based exports still represent a modest share of export earnings. According to him, procedural bottlenecks, weak export readiness, logistics challenges and limited access to structured export processing support remain major barriers.
Also speaking at the forum, Managing Director, Polaris Bank, represented by Head of Commercial Banking, Mrs. Ladi Ene Garba, stressed the urgency of expanding non-oil exports. She warned that Nigeria’s continued reliance on crude oil exposes the economy to external shocks.
“Nigeria remains largely dependent on crude oil for their foreign exchange earnings,” she said. “Oil accounts for approximately 90 per cent of our crude oil earnings.”
She added that non-oil exports contribute less than 10 per cent of overall economic output, therefore making export diversification a strategic imperative. She reaffirmed Polaris Bank’s commitment to SME support.
President, Aviation Cargo Committee, Mr. Ikechi Uko, emphasised the importance of air logistics in export growth. “A lot of aircraft come into Nigeria full but they leave empty,” he said, adding that organised export processing would allow aircraft to depart with Nigerian goods.
Industry insights were also shared by Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Burcont Shipping Nigeria Limited, Dr. Akin Oladipupo. “There are billions of naira in the farming and agricultural industry that are untapped,” he said, noting that collaborative forums would help unlock value.
The event attracted key government agencies involved in export processing, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Nigerian Export Promotion Council and FAAN. Airlines and logistics partners present included Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Turkish Cargo, Kenya Airways, RwandAir and DHL.
