CHINET AviaCargo confab targets unlocking logistics barrier to exports

By Business A.M.

Following the successes recorded at the 2022 conference, organisers of the annual Chinet Aviacargo Conference have announced 9th and 10th August as the dates for the 2023 edition scheduled to hold in Lagos.

The first and second editions of the event were acknowledged as milestones in the aviation and cargo sector with many successes flowing from them.

Notably, the communique from the second edition led to the creation by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) of an Aviacargo Committee to develop a road map to drive export and turn the country into a cargo hub. 

The theme for this year’s conference is: “Unlocking The Logistics Barrier To Improved Agro Product Exports.”

According to the organisers, Nigeria is largely regarded as an import driven economy with oil being the major export accounting for 96 percent. Last year, Nigeria recorded non-oil export earnings of $4.82 billion, an increase of over 39 percent, according to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Africa was the leading destination for Kenya’s exports in 2022, accounting for 41 percent of the country’s total export earnings. The agency said that the country’s total exports to Africa hit 2.62 billion U.S. dollars last year, with the East African Community (EAC) economic bloc accounting for 63.3 percent of the total exports to Africa.

Nigeria is about 1.6 times bigger than Kenya. Kenya is approximately 580,367 sq km, while Nigeria is approximately 923,768 sq km, making Nigeria 59 percent larger than Kenya. Meanwhile, the population of Kenya is 55.9 million people. Over 200 million people live in Nigeria. Nigeria’ export figure can be increased if the necessary policy, systems and infrastructure are put in place. Kenya currently is leading Aviacargo Airport in Africa.

Nigeria is the leading producer of many agro products but does not export much of these products. It is believed that the challenge of Nigeria and most African countries is in the logistics problems between the farm and the airport. The need to unlock this barrier in order to improve and increase agro produce will be the Focus of Chinet 2023. This will help to ensure that Nigeria becomes a bigger export driven economy.