By Progress Godfrey

ABUJA—Non-oil exporters have called for the establishment of a one-stop export system to address regulatory bottlenecks, reduce costs and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in global markets.

The exporters made the call in Abuja on Tuesday at a policy roundtable and dissemination of a market access study for Nigeria’s non-oil export sector. The event, themed Advancing SME Competitiveness under DCTS and AfCFTA, brought together policymakers, regulators, development partners, private sector leaders and exporters to review findings and chart reforms to improve market access.

Speaking at the event, National President, Network of Practicing Non-Oil Exporters of Nigeria (NPNEN) Hon. Ahmad Rabiu, said the study identified structural barriers affecting Nigeria’s export system, noting that many policy decisions were not based on verified realities, particularly around infrastructure readiness.

He added that the report exposed gaps in exporters’ capacity to meet international standards, as well as deficiencies within regulatory institutions, where limited knowledge and weak capacity have constrained effective support.

Rabiu stressed the need for Nigeria to adopt a pragmatic export strategy anchored on local realities, noting that successful economies like Malaysia aligned policy with domestic capacity rather than copying foreign models. He said exporters and policymakers must focus on what is achievable within Nigeria’s environment to drive sustainable growth.

“These are the things we want. So that if the Central Bank, as it is here, wants to intervene, it will understand what intervention we need. If the Port Authority that are here or Nigerian Customs that are here want to intervene, they will now see how to do it,” he said.

He also highlighted the need to revive inland ports to ease cargo movement and reduce pressure on seaports. “So that importers and exporters in the hinterland do not have to visit a seaport for their cargo. Their cargo will go on to seaports in Nigeria as ports of first arrival on transit. And they will proceed on their journey as cargo is transiting internationally,” Rabiu added.

Also speaking, President, Nigeria Trade and Investment Center, Canada, Mr. Olufemi Boyede, said exporters face constraints ranging from access to finance and logistics to policy inconsistencies, limiting Nigeria’s share in global trade.

He stressed that the absence of a coordinated export system has led to duplication of regulatory functions and increased costs, undermining competitiveness.

“One of the biggest barriers is a multiplicity of so-called regulators at Nigeria’s export points, whether at the airport or seaport. You have many agencies, each collecting one revenue or the other, which adds to the unit cost of Nigeria’s exports.

“The whole idea is to have a one-stop export processing centre where all regulators are present. That is where Nigeria needs to be, but we are not there yet,” he stated.

Boyede said the roundtable offers stakeholders an opportunity to align on practical reforms, stressing the need for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector.

On his part, Executive Director, African International Trade and Commerce Research, Mr. Sand Mba, said the report revealed that most exporters struggle with pre-border challenges, particularly logistics, compliance and informal charges.

He noted that weak support systems and limited access to buyers have constrained export growth, with many small businesses unable to scale.

“62% of the businesses we discussed said the challenge they face in exporting is before the border. The issue of logistics, the issue of not being able to meet compliance within Nigeria, and the issue of unofficial money requests are the major issues,” he said.

Mba added that improving coordination, expanding access to finance and creating structured support systems would help exporters scale and leverage opportunities under AfCFTA and the UK DCTS.