Nigeria’s path to global export competitiveness will not be defined by access to markets alone, but by the discipline and action to meet them.

This was the central thrust of the message delivered by the Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Promotion Group (MANEG) and Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Director, BAT Nigeria, Odiri Erewa-Meggison, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Exporters Development Programme.

A statement yesterday noted that Erewa-Meggison, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of MANEG, Dr Benedict Obhiosa, spoke during the panel session, titled “From Factory to Foreign Markets – Practical Export Pathways,” on April 9 at Commerce House, Lagos.

The session brought together key industry leaders and policy drivers, including the President and Chairman of Council, LCCI, Leye Kupoluyi; Group Chairman, Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki; and the National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala.

It highlighted a shared urgency to reposition Nigeria as a value-driven export economy.

Despite Nigeria’s total export value reaching N77.44 trillion in 2024, representing a 115 per cent increase year-on-year, manufactured exports continued to account for less than three per cent of the total.

Erewa-Meggison views this gap as a clear signal that Nigeria must move from policy ambition to operational execution.

“Nigeria does not have a market access problem; we have an execution problem. AfCFTA presents a $3.4 trillion opportunity across 1.3 billion people, but access without readiness delivers no value,” she stated.

She highlighted the critical inefficiencies undermining Nigeria’s export credibility, noting that more than 70 per cent of Nigerian food exports were rejected in international markets, while nearly 30 per cent of manufactured goods fail due to deficiencies in packaging, labelling, traceability, and certification.

According to her, these challenges point to deeper issues: a deficit in quality assurance, technical knowledge and process discipline across the value chain.

According to him, many Nigerian manufacturers operate below optimal capacity, not due to the lack of ambition, but due to the limited access to technical guidance required to navigate export documentation, leverage AfCFTA tariff advantages, and engage international buyers effectively.

To address this, Erewa-Meggison outlined a clear pathway for reform anchored on four pillars: quality standards, efficient logistics, access to export finance, and practical domestication of AfCFTA frameworks.

While acknowledging the importance of policy support, she emphasised that industry players must take greater ownership of their export readiness by adhering to global standards, building the right partnerships, and fully leveraging available trade systems.

Through her leadership at MANEG, Erewa-Meggison has continued to champion a transition from raw commodity exports to value-added manufacturing, driving the reforms and capacity development required to position Nigerian products competitively on the global stage.