The Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce, Mr. Nonso Ebonwu, has challenged stakeholders in the state to leverage strategic partnerships to promote local production and reduce overreliance on imported goods.
Honourable Ebonwu made the call during a statewide stakeholders’ sensitisation seminar jointly organised by the Importers’ Association of Nigeria (IMAN) and the Anambra State Ministry of Commerce in Awka.
The seminar, held under the theme, “Securing Trade Corridors and Unlocking Blue Economy Opportunities,” brought together key stakeholders in commerce, security and governance to deliberate on ways to strengthen trade networks and unlock new economic opportunities in the state.
The Commissioner said Anambra must transition from a consumption-driven economy to a manufacturing and production powerhouse.
He commended IMAN for convening the dialogue, stressing the need to redirect the energy and enterprise of the state’s youth from merely importing goods to establishing industries and investing directly in productive ventures within Anambra.
Ebonwu urged stakeholders to empower young people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities required to build sustainable businesses, assuring participants that the state government remained committed to providing a secure and investment-friendly environment.
In his goodwill message, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Mr. Christian Udechukwu, reiterated Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s commitment to industrialisation and economic transformation.
Udechukwu said the administration fully supported “Made in Anambra” initiatives, while highlighting the Federal Government-approved Economic Free Trade Zone within the ongoing aerotropolis project as a strategic opportunity for attracting investment and promoting industrial development in the region.
The Chairman of the occasion, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Dera Nnadi, said commerce could only thrive where security, effective regulation and adequate infrastructure existed.
He called for the revitalisation of historic trading centres, particularly Onitsha, to enable them reclaim their position as major commercial hubs.
The National Patron and host of the event, Chief Azubuike Ekweozor, stressed the need to channel traditional enterprise models such as the Igba Boi system towards legitimate local investments, entrepreneurship and wealth retention within the state.
The lead seminar paper presenter, Dr. Obiora Madu, spoke on “Building Secure, Smart and Competitive Supply Chains: Unlocking Blue Economy Opportunities and Trade Competitiveness under AfCFTA.”
Leadership of IMAN and representatives of critical agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), expressed their commitment to translating the outcomes of the seminar into actionable measures.
The stakeholders also pledged stronger collaboration among government, the trading community and industry leaders to improve the security of trade corridors, strengthen supply chains and harness the potential of the Blue Economy for sustainable economic growth.
