The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the country’s lead agency in the promotion of non-oil export, has advised Micro Small and Medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in Aba to embrace e-commerce to boost their businesses.

Nonye Ayeni, executive director/chief executive officer of NEPC, gave the advice in a keynote address at the MSME digital trade and e-commerce enablement programme, organised by the Abuja office of the Council, in Aba, the commercial hub of AbIa State.

Ayeni stated that the programme was organised to empower Aba entrepreneurs with digital tools and knowledge required to compete successfully in today’s global marketplace, as one of Nigeria’s foremost commercial and manufacturing hubs, renowned for its vibrant entrepreneurial spirit.

Represented by Sopuruchi St-Matthew, Chief Trade Officer, in the Abuja office of NEPC, Ayeni noted that digital economy has transformed the way businesses operate, creating unprecedented opportunities for MSMEs to reach customers beyond geographical, boundaries through e-commerce, digital marketing, on-line payment systems, and digital trade platforms.

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He affirmed that enterprises that embrace these technologies are better positioned to increase sales, improve productivity and access regional and international markets.

Salome Obiukwu, Abia State commissioner for Trade and Commerce, who was represented by Cyril Nwaigwe, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry,

commended the NEPC for bringing the programme to Aba and expressed the willingness of the State to continue to partner with the Council to deepen non-oil export in the state.

She advised artisans, especially shoe and garment makers to take advantage of the presence of the NEPC in Aba to develop exportable products.

Ikechukwu Eze, Senior Manager, (Administration), National Information Technology Development Agency (NiTDA), while delivering a paper titled ‘Micro Small and Medium enterprises (MSME’s) Digital trade and e-commerce enablement’, urged artisans in Aba to embrace online marketing to get visibility and boost their businesses.

He noted that in Nigeria and across the world MSMEs make up more than 90percent of businesses, employ people, feed families, and keep communities moving, but argued that their growth has been limited by geography.

In his words, “A tailor in Ikeja could only sell to customers, who walked into her shop, while a farmer in Ogun could only reach buyers at the local market.”

He however, explained that digital trade and e-commerce have changed the way people transact business, stressing that the internet has removed the middlemen and distance.

“Today an MSME can list products at 8am, take payment by 9am, and ship to another state by 5pm. Digital trade gives three things MSMEs never had at scale before, which are reach, data, and access to finance.

“Reaching customer base is no longer just your street. It is Lagos, Abuja, Accra, London and with data, you know what sells, when it sells, and who buys it. That helps you stock smarter.

“Digital records makes it easier for banks and fintechs to trust you with loans and working capital.”

He said that e-commerce is not here to replace the market woman, rather that it is here to give her a second shop that never closes.

“It is here to help the furniture maker take customer orders from 3-States away. It is here to let young entrepreneurs export crafts and food products without needing a big export license or office abroad.

He said that the future of trade is not big versus small, but connected versus disconnected.

“If we enable our MSMEs with digital tools, we are not just enabling businesses, we are enabling jobs, resilience, and inclusion,” he stated.

Delivering a paper titled ‘Unlocking MSMEs growth, through digital trade and e-commerce’, Ofon Udofia, executive secretary, Institute of Export Operations and Management, Nigeria, Port Harcourt Centre, advised Aba artisans to formalise their exports to benefit from the Export Expansion Grant (EEG), a post-shipment incentive designed to encourage Nigerian exporters to expand export volume, value and improve global competitiveness of Nigerian products.

Udofia, who affirmed that trust is important in export business, urged artisans to take orders that they can deliver.

“Do not over-promise and do not under-deliver,” he advised.