The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has urged exporters to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital platforms to improve their access to global markets.
NEPC Regional Coordinator, South-South Regional Office, Mrs. Ngozi Ibe, gave this call at a recent capacity-building workshop held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The workshop had: ‘Harnessing Digital Platforms for Non-Oil Export Growth: Expanding Global Market Access Through Digital Innovation’ as theme.
According to Ibe, digital technologies had transformed how businesses identified markets, promoted products, connected with buyers and built relationships across borders.
She said exporters in Rivers no longer needed to rely solely on traditional methods of finding international customers.
‘With the right digital knowledge and tools, an exporter can identify potential markets, understand consumer demand, research competitors and showcase products,’ she said.
The NEPC Regional Coordinator identified cassava and its derivatives, oil palm products, spices, cocoa, fisheries, aquaculture products, plantain, coconut, processed foods and handicrafts as export opportunities in Rivers.
She, however, said unfortunately, those products were lacking in sufficiency, without proper visibility, competitiveness, positioning and accessibility to international buyers.
‘This training is about enabling exporters to onboard their products and services online through digital platforms in order to expand their market reach.
‘Our objective is not simply to teach exporters how to put their products online. We want to help them become market-ready, digitally visible and commercially competitive,’ Ibe said.
She also stressed the importance of quality, packaging and labelling in navigating the export ecosystem.
She urged exporters to leverage guidance from agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to meet required standards.
Ibe said market intelligence was critical to helping exporters determine suitable destinations and understand demand, competition and market-access conditions.
She encouraged participants to use International Trade Centre (ITC) tools, including Trade Map, Market Access Map and Export Potential Map, to make evidence-based decisions.
An AI and Information Technology consultant, Dr. Daniel Ekpah, said digital platforms had bridged the gap between exporters and their desired audiences by enabling businesses to target customers based on location and interests.
Ekpah, in his presentation on ‘Building a Strong Digital Presence for Export Business,’ called on exporters to create quality content and promote their products on social media platforms.
He also advised them to develop websites that would serve as landing pages where prospective customers could learn about their brands, products and businesses.
The consultant stressed the importance of product quality and integrity and advised exporters to ensure that information posted online were authentic.
He said AI tools were increasingly being used to verify the authenticity of individuals, brands and products, making credibility essential for businesses seeking international customers.
According to Ekpah, exporters should also use testimonials and positive customer experiences to strengthen their brands and attract more buyers online.
‘Once people get your product and say good things about your product; post it online and let people see it,’ he said.
One of the exporters, Amadi Fidelis, described the workshop as an eye-opener for Nigerian exporters.
Fidelis, who is the National President, Association of Commercial Farmers and Agro-Allied Producers of Nigeria, said exporters had acquired knowledge required to expand their global presence and improve the visibility of their products.
‘Some of us have our websites. This workshop has actually enlightened us that we need to review how our websites work,’ he said.
Fidelis said he would review his business website and apply Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies to improve its ranking on Google.