By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Business owners and other stakeholders in the export process have been told to embrace digital marketing as a solution to the problem of low productivity and slow growth to enable the country realize its ambition to attain zero oil economic plan.
Nigeria must shift from single oil economy — Gov. Umahi
The advice was given by the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo who identified old and crude market penetration strategies as hindrances to the realization of Nigeria’s zero oil economic plan initiative.
Awolowo, at a workshop for stakeholders in Jos noted that market access was one of the greatest constraints to small holder producers in Nigeria and other Third World countries and stressed that dynamism and sophistication in technology which has affected all areas of human endeavours can help drive the initiative.
He said, “One of the major strategic functions of the NEPC is to ensure that Nigeria exporters penetrate international market sustainably. The old and crude market penetration strategies are fast waning, giving way to technologically driven strategies. Except we key into the modern day technology, the zero oil plan initiative ambition of the country may not be realizable.
“You will realize that even some inconceivable products such as currencies are now traded electronically. It follows that within a short time, digital marketing could upstage physical market place. Hence, the urgent need for Nigerian business concerns to acquire appropriate skills that would make them to be visible globally.”
Awolowo who was represented by the North Central Regional Coordinator of NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak told the participants that the agency had created the Youth Export Development Programme to provide a special platform for the Nigerian youths to enable them seamlessly participate in non oil export business.
According to him, the programme will be launched in the first quarter of 2020 assuring that NEPC will continue to partner with both private and public initiatives in the promotion of non oil sector in the country.
Oil prices steady as Russia touts easing OPEC+ output
Earlier, Head of Product and Market of the NEPC in the region Mr Otega Adulugba said that the aim of the workshop with the theme, “understanding the role of online/ digital marketing and services in modern business” was aimed at exposing the participants to the opportunities that abound for exporters by harnessing the use of technology as well as increase their awareness in non oil export trade.
The post Digital marketing will drive growth in Nigeria’s non-oil sector appeared first on Vanguard News.