By Magdalene Ukuedojor
The African Network Centre Sarl Ltd., an organisation established to promote integration and networking among African countries, says Nigerian products are massively in demand in Morocco.
Chief Executive Officer of the centre, Mr Ahmed Gombe, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, in Rabat, Morocco.
Gombe listed a good number of Made-in-Nigeria products with huge market potential in Morocco and other parts of Africa.
He, therefore, called on Nigerian exporters and entrepreneurs to invest and promote Nigerian indigenous products around the world to boost Nigeria’s economy and create employment.
“Nigerian products are massively in demand; if you go from Seme to Cotonou in Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, you see Nigerian products, food, drinks, beverages, so also in Morocco.
“In Morocco, you see Nigerian soft drinks, our brands of malt drinks; a tuber of yam is about 70 dirham, that is about 7 dollars.
“Nigeria beans, seasoning, stockfish, egusi and crayfish. Ogbonno go for about 10 dollars per kilo.
“Our indigenous bathing soaps, yam, plantain and cassava flour, garri- the white and red one, red oil; all these are Nigerian products with big market potential here in Morocco.
“Nigerians have not discovered Morocco yet and I’m sure that by the time they discover Morocco, it is going to be mutually beneficial for the two countries.
“Even in terms of distance, from Lagos to Morocco it’s just about 4 hours 20 minutes by flight,” he said.
He said export of Nigerian goods would play a major role in diversifying the Nigeria’s economy from its dependence on crude oil.
Gombe also said that certain afro-centric policies initiated by the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, to promote integration of African countries, would facilitate trade and export between Nigeria and Morocco.
“We are trying to key into these policies and utilise it and also trying how to find the regulatory polices to see how the import export business can thrive.
“One of the initiatives is for us to set up the corridor initiative so that a lot of products from Nigeria that are being consumed here in Morocco, get the required market.
“We are trying to formalise the market; we are creating the Nigeria Import Export Corridor Initiative which should be launched before the end of the year,” he said.
He said the initiative would collaborate with Air Maroc, the Moroccan Airline, for concessions while also partnering with the Nigerian Export-Import Bank for the optimal benefit of entrepreneurs. (NAN)
