Lagos Partners With AIES/E&S To Empower MSMEs

By Mohammed Adekola

Lagos State has formed an alliance with Africa Import & Export Solutions Limited and Export and Sell USA (AIES/E&S) to provide Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) with training on the procedures and opportunities associated with exporting to the United States of America.

The recent training session, themed “Export to Wealth,” convened in Lagos, focused on the essential aspects of exporting to the USA. Topics covered included warehousing, dispatching, export licensing, leveraging profitability software, finding buyers, managing listings on Amazon, opening bank accounts, and filing trademarks.

Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade & Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem emphasized Lagos State’s commitment to fostering local production capacity aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

Mrs. Ambrose-Medebem emphasised the value of MSMEs in economic development and the necessity of concentrating on non-oil exports in order to strengthen Nigeria’s currency and economy.  She stressed the significance of tapping into the nation’s agro and mineral-based commodities and their value chain potentials to enhance development and citizens’ standard of living.

Chairman of Export & Sell, Nduka Udeh, hailed the training as crucial for equipping participants with the knowledge to overcome export barriers. He stated the importance of preparing products for export to prevent rejection,and indicated his desire for deeper collaboration with the Lagos State Government to further empower MSMEs.

Bisola Esan, CEO of African Import & Export Solutions Limited, spoe about the vast opportunities for MSMEs to expand globally and earn in dollars. She outlined various avenues, including selling on platforms like Amazon and African stores in the USA, reaching customers through US retail stores, and utilizing wholesale distribution channels. Esan emphasized that MSMEs can engage in these activities without physical presence in the US, aligning with their mission to increase Africa’s wealth.