Aba Export Growth Lab: Resolving Quality Concerns, Boosting Export

By Ijendu Iheaka, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Unarguably, Abia Government’s quest to boost manufacturing and export received a boost with the creation of Aba Export Growth Lab.

At the inauguration of Aba Export Growth Lab on July 8, Mike Akpara, Abia Commissioner for Industry, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), appeared in colourful Akwette traditional attire and a matching red chieftaincy cap and shoes, all produced in Abia.

Akpara’s intentions were obvious; to showcase the creative ingenuity of Aba and Abia people. ‎

‎“Aba industrialists have created value through their products for decades but lacked a structured pathway to global market.’’

‎Akpara said the lab’s reality manifested a policy shift that would bolster Aba products’ availability on international market shelves focusing on Akwete clothes, safety footwears, protective gears and fashion apparels.

‎According to Akpara, the planned upscaling of production, packaging, branding and marketing of Aba products will bridge the gap between productivity and international competitiveness.

‎Observers say the latest move will address the absence of core ingredients of international production in Aba and Abia in line with the good intentions of Gov. Alex Otti’s Government.

They say the move will also boost investors’ confidence.

‎Five years ago, a Bangladeshi company contacted the leadership of Leather Product Manufacturers Association of Abia State (LEPMAAS) through an Abia Government official.

‎The company requested that members of LEPMAAS produce thousands of a certain high quality shoe model for it in Aba.

‎The shoe contract was to bring in millions of dollars in foreign currency to the benefit of the shoe manufacturers and Abia Government.

‎Afterwards, the association said Aba manufacturers had the willingness and creative expertise to deliver the job tastefully, but their analysis of the requirements for the project’s take-off and success, constrained it to abort the project.

The constraints were the absence of quality raw materials fit for the job and machinery within Nigeria to meet the required specification and the supply deadline.

Aba, the hub of home-made, hand-crafted Nigerian shoes and fashion products, is endowed with highly gifted craftsmen and manufacturers whose products stand out in gorgeous designs and elegance anywhere in the world.

Regrettably, Aba manufacturers are still contending with unresolved challenges that continue to mar their opportunities at undertaking rewarding export businesses.

Analysts say the unavailability of quality local raw materials to craft high quality shoes while meeting time-bound production contracts, remains a big challenge in exporting Aba’s products to the world.

Analysts say the unavailability of quality local raw materials to craft high quality shoes while meeting time-bound production contracts, remains a big challenge in exporting Aba’s products to the world.

They say that most times, the inability of this sector to meet some export requirements lead to the underpricing of Aba products by some wholesale buyers who move them out of Abia, and without adding value, sell them at the price of imported products in Nigeria.

Speaking during the inauguration of the export lab, Otti laid out plan for the project.

He said that the lab was not a money-making venture for government but a supportive project for SMEs to benefit Abia people.

“The lab will support Abia manufacturers to structure their production, packaging and branding of their products in standardised formats to make them attractive and competitive in the International Market.”

He said the solution to the needless chase for foreign investors by governments lied in strengthening citizens’ creative and productive capacities without which no investor would come because serious business people research potential partners before engagements.

“And you know that the international market is not deceived, before you board a plane to go searching for foreign investment, the people have done their research about you.

“If you are not intentionally prepared to compete globally, do not even try because you will just waste your time.”

Otti challenged project partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support Abia, and assured that the state would not play games or tolerate half measures.

“Any product that does not pass the test, do not be sympathetic to it; fail it so that we can start afresh until we get it to such a specification that it would qualify rightly.

“Our standards are very high; for those working with the lab, the output should be second to none.

“You will be sacked if you pass a product that fails the test somewhere else,” he warned.

The governor said Aba, as an industrial hub, needed more support than it is getting, but thanked the UNDP for its collaboration in recreating the Aba business hub.

Ms Elsie Attafuah, the Resident Representative, UNDP in Nigeria, said the agency supported the Aba export project and secured a rebate agreement with Uganda Airlines to reduce by 50 per cent every export shipment from Aba to East and Southern Africa.

Attafuah said the project was activating a bold blueprint for sustainable trade and industrial transformation in Abia, Nigeria and Africa.

She said the lab would wake the giant in Aba with the capacity to lead Africa’s industrial rebirth.

Attafuah said Otti’s courageous leadership and clarity of vision was charting a part that would lead to Abia’s prosperity in a world where countries rise by what they produce.

The Chief Executive Officer, Transaharan Consulting, Francis Anatogu, said the lab was a supportive system for producers interested in exportation.

He said the lab would run a six months pilot phase with 20 carefully selected businesses to do their product trials abroad.

Anatogu said many moribund companies in Aba needed revival to grow Nigeria’s industrial base which could not happen without Aba.

He said the problems facing Nigeria’s manufacturing sector was not peculiar to the country, noting that net exporting countries like China, Singapore, Japan faced such.

Anatogu said the lab would help manufacturers solve problems of insufficient resources, information, competitiveness, manpower, and production methods.

He said regulatory compliance would also be handled to ease export and help companies discover existing global opportunities for their products.

Mr Okechukwu Amaechi, acting State Coordinator, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Abia Office, said a major challenge of exporting in Abia was financial incapacitation of potential exporters.

“This lack of financial capability makes many of them believe normal export processes are cumbersome while preferring informal export system.

“Another challenge is lack of quality; we told potential exporters that quality and producing to specification are keys to international trade,’’ he said.

He expressed optimism that the lab would achieve its aim by fine-tuning everything meant to boost exportability of Aba products.

Mazi Okechukwu Williams, the immediate past President of LEPMAAS, said that the lab’s conception was a welcome development.

Williams said that the lab could only yield the expected results when a proper analysis of the stakeholders’ needs had been done and strategic efforts made to address the necessities.

Stakeholders say Otti will be writing his name in gold if he can upgrade Aba products’ exportability; thereby boosting Abia’s foreign exchange earnings.(NANFeatures)