- Photo caption : Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director of FAAN, representative of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo inside the just commissioned NAHCO’s Export Processing and Packaging Centre and the Chairman of NAHCO, Dir . Seinde Fadeni today at Murtala Muhammed Airport,Lagos
…Assures NAHCO Of Continued Support
…As Chairman Urges FG To Call For Stakeholders Meeting
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo today commissioned the over N1 billion state-of-the-art Export Processing & Packaging Centre (EPPC) at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos to enhance the cargo export .
The Minister, while commissioning the project , assured the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) PLC that it would continue to support it in cargo export business in a world where revenue growth is key.
Keyamo declared that with the equipment in the facility, expertise, most of the challenges of exporting perishable goods will be highly mitigated, adding that issues about the shelf-life of the crops, temperature control, packaging, handling and regulatory compliance will be a thing of the past.
The Minister, who was represented by the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria(FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku urged stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunity created by the facility.
“In a world where revenue growth is key,I want to assure NAHCO that we will continue to support them in this and other ventures. It is my hope that exporters and other stakeholders will take full advantage of this facility to boost Nigeria’s export numbers, which will impact positively on our balance of payment position and strengthen the Naira.”
She said that it is in furtherance of this goal that the FAAN has been promoting cargo development and went further to constitute a committee to identify the challenges in cargo facilitation, especially on export.
Kuku stated that to emphasise the importance of freighting, the Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, in his wisdom decided to create the Cargo Services Directorate in FAAN, adding that it is designed to ameliorate the problems in the sector and bring innovative ideas to life.
The FAAN Managing Director commended the leadership of NAHCO Aviance for the innovation and foresight.
“I think it helps when an experienced business like yours sees the business sense in building a facility such as this to aid other businesses,” she said.
Also speaking at the commissioning, the Chairman of NAHCO, Dr Seinde Fadeni who was very elated said that as an important private sector operator, NAHCO values the support of the government to make the business environment less challenging.
He stated that today is not an occasion to enumerate the challenges the ground handler is facing operating at the airport but an opportunity to thank God and all the people who made the project a success .
He called on the Federal Government to give NAHCO the needed support as it tries to move Nigerian aviation forward.
In his words, “We have achieved this and the new task is to set a new goal. Our only request to the government on this occasion would be that; should we need your support in our quest to move aviation forward in Nigeria in our own little way, please be there for us.”
Fadeni, said that NAHCO firmly believes that there is a lot of foreign exchange that Nigeria can earn through food exports and that it has come to lead the charge.
“We would need the government to give us all the support we need. The livelihood and indeed prosperity of many Nigerians depend on the export of perishables,” he said.
He called on the Federal Government to organise a meeting of relevant stakeholders in the export business to deliberate on the best way to move this segment forward.
He urged stakeholders, airlines, agents, exporters, farmers to use the facility , adding that NAHCO is fully ready for export business.
This facility, the Chairman asserted cannot be found anywhere else in Nigeria as it was built with stakeholders in mind.
On his part, the Group Managing Director, NAHCO, Mr. Indranil Gupta stated that the new facility is a strategic move to enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products on the global stage, create jobs at home and push the boundaries of what Nigeria could sell abroad.
The GMD added that by streamlining its export processes, adhering to stringent packaging standards, and ensuring the quality of our products, NAHCO not only bolster the reputation of Nigerian goods but also contribute significantly to how Nigeria’s products are viewed outside our shores.
This, he said, is very important.
Speaking further, Gupta stated that additionally, the Export Processing and Packaging Centre will foster skills development and empower Nigerian youths as it expands operations.
The centre, he said, is not all about business for NAHCO but also about its commitment to the socio-economic empowerment of our people.
“As we commission this Centre, we are embarking on a journey that not only strengthens our foothold in the global market but also contributes to the economic development of Nigeria. This facility is a symbol of our unwavering commitment to quality, efficiency, global standards and customer satisfaction,” he said.
He informed that the EPPC has office spaces for regulatory bodies and various government agencies and that NAHCO PLC remains dedicated to maintaining collaborative relationships with cargo agents, who are valued clients of the facility.
He expressed his gratitude to the government, regulatory bodies, and all stakeholders who have supported us throughout this journey, adding that their unwavering support has been instrumental in making this vision a reality, and that NAHCO looks forward to continued collaboration for the greater good.
About The Author
