The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos has called for greater youth inclusion in trade and enterprise as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and the Netherlands.
The committee made the call at the Nigeria-Netherlands Business Bridge Roundtable at the Radisson Blu Anchorage, Victoria Island, Lagos, where stakeholders from government, the private sector, and Dutch businesses discussed ways to connect young entrepreneurs with global markets.
According to the committee, improving young people’s access to networks, collaborations, and opportunities within the Dutch and wider European Union (EU) markets would help accelerate Nigeria’s economic growth.
Presenting a survey report at the roundtable, the committee disclosed that major barriers affecting export from Nigeria to the Netherlands or the EU markets include market access, financial constraints, standard compliance, high cost of logistics, and regulatory complexity.
The event, which had over 120 youths in attendance, featured a paper presentation, a spotlight session, and panel discussions. Its keynote address, themed ‘Nigeria-Netherlands Business Bridge: Practical Guidelines to Smooth Cross-Border Trade’, was delivered by the Consul General, Netherlands Consulate, Lagos, Mr. Michel Deleen.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Committee, Babajide Oluwase, said the roundtable was organised to bridge the gap between youth-led businesses and key industry players.
“What we’ve done today is bring stakeholders across the different divides, from regulators to the private sector to the government and also Dutch businesses. We brought them all together in the room to meet with these businesses, mostly youth-led. Let them hear what the government is doing; let them hear what the private sector is doing,” he said.
Vice Chairman of the Committee, Funmi Ajala, said many young entrepreneurs lack the knowledge needed to participate effectively in international trade.
“The knowledge gap exists because they don’t know what is expected of them; they don’t know all the things they need to do, so they think, ‘Oh, it’s really big.’ But what we are trying to do here is to demystify that so they have the right knowledge and can plug themselves into the value chain of these Dutch businesses.”
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, said the government is creating a more enabling environment for small and medium enterprises to thrive.
He said: “Under the tax reform laws taking effect from January 1, 2026, if you have a small business and you register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission and your annual turnover is not more than 100 million naira, your corporate tax rate will be zero per cent. And the other good news is that, as I speak to you, the Corporate Affairs Commission has opened the opportunity for 250,000 small businesses to register with the CAC free of charge.”
Other speakers at the roundtable, which also witnessed the inauguration of new YAC members, encouraged young entrepreneurs to explore the Nigerian diaspora market for business expansion and international relevance.
The panelists at the event include Head of Trade Sales at Access Bank, Adamma Mbachu; Team Lead at Soilless Farm Lab, Farmer Samson Ogbole; Special Adviser to the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Folasade Aderoju; Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Import and Export Unit, Tariff and Trade Department, Njoku Ndidi Cecilia; and Procurement Manager, FrieslandCampina, Anthony Erude.
The session was moderated by Healthcare Team Lead, Youth Advisory Committee of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos, Ajala Oluwafunmilayo.
