Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, professor Adesoji Adesogba, has mapped out plans to collaborate with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, NACCIMA, on establishing an Amazon economic free export zones. Professor Adesogba said this during a business roundtable with Business Women Group NAWORG in Abuja where he said that NEPZA is committed to promoting Nigeria as the preferred investment destination in Africa and expressed his organisation willingness to buy into the ideas of NAWORG. According to him, the concept of Amazon economic free zone is a wonderful idea and I think we should interrogate it properly and see how we can go about doing that; identify where and work together towards it. I believe this is possible and doable and I will be glad to be part of this and I am sure NEPZA will do what it needs to do.
NEPZA boss who commended the NACCIMA on efforts put in place to put ensure that the voices of women in Nigeria are widely heard, said that the place of women in national development of a country cannot be displaced. He said: “The importance of women in development has been over flog by many researches but the conclusion is when we enable one woman, we enable the whole family and also the statistics has also shown that women do very well if not better than most men in putting together businesses or leading businesses. “I think this has been at the back of our minds when we were trying to reorganise and reposition Abuja Chamber of Commerce and industry when we decided that the team leads are going to be women. At a time, if you’re not a woman you can’t lead. When you give women the chance, the sky will not just be your limit but your starting point to space.
“I have always been of the notion that when you put women together and give them all the resources, and what you see and what you find, the speed of development will be much seen than others. And when you give them the incentives, it is even much better.” On her part, the National President of NACCIMA, Aisha Abubakar, while commending NEPZA boss said that the initiative is highly commendable as the idea to cooperate with NEPZA is to empower the Nigerian women. She further restated reasons why the Amazon export processing zone is essential for the Nigerian women. She said: “We the women entrepreneurs of NAWORG wish to commend you on the great job you’re doing as the managing director of NEPZA. You have provided inspirational leadership together with the management team you have been ensuring that NEPZA carries out its mandate in every area of its operation.
“The recent dispute resolution provided by your organisation to end the rift between the Lagos Oshodi Logistics and some heavy industries which will attract $7 billion direct investment as well as provide 3,000 jobs for youths is evidence of your inspirational leadership. As you are aware NAWORG was created in December 2005 as one of the trade groups of NACCIMA with the mandate to coordinate women within the chamber movement across the country and you’ve been part of NAWORG all these while.
“On the second of December 2021 you graciously joined us during our sensitisation round table on the export facility program on that occasion we told you about our intention to have our Amazon export processing zone. The aim of visit today is to discuss these ideas and to explore statistics options to strengthen the collaboration and viability of export processing zones, to cater for women owned businesses. Women owned need a lot of patience and tolerance and most critical is the enabling environment and we see this as an opportunity for us to have if not an export processing zone but something similar that will create that enabling environment not only for them to understand what to export but the entire processing, learn the logistics and be able to go through the regulations and regularities required for exporting.”
