David Oke, head of trade services at the Abuja World Trade Center, stated that while Nigeria produces 70 percent of the world’s yam, only 11 percent of it is exported.
He shared these insights on Tuesday during the sixth edition of LinkedIn Local Abuja, which was focused on “Multidimensional Intelligence for Career Prosperity.”
Oke encouraged young entrepreneurs to tap into Nigeria’s vast yam export potential and highlighted the importance of research in creating lasting wealth.
He posed the question: “With such significant production, how can we increase our exports?”
“Can we involve people from Benue and other major yam-producing states in packaging yams for the export market? Can we address the issue of standardization?”
Oke noted that the same challenges exist for other products like fish, vegetables, sesame seeds, and more, which also have the potential to drive national development.
Oke pointed out the rapid expansion of the Nigerian diaspora, which has contributed to the rising popularity of Nigerian food and fashion in places like Australia, London, and beyond.
He also emphasized that Africa is set to become a key player in global trade, urging Nigeria to leverage its human capital by engaging young people in international trade opportunities.
Oke also mentioned that the government offers several programs and policies, including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocols, which young people can take advantage of to broaden trade prospects.
At the same event, Elsie Nemieboka, a human resources expert and psychologist, stressed the importance of mental resilience in the workplace.
She explained that resilience enables employees to navigate organizational challenges and stay focused on their objectives.
Nemieboka described mental toughness as the ability to persevere and remain committed despite setbacks or lack of recognition, in order to achieve one’s goals.
