The 7th Annual Edition of the Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar will be held on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, and virtually by 9.00 am.

The seminar, themed “Unlocking Opportunities in Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Business”, is part of Zenith Bank’s efforts to support the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) initiatives to grow the country’s non-oil export sector.

The seminar will draw participation from trade practitioners, local and foreign exporters, manufacturers, financial institutions, and government agencies. This forum would provide an opportunity for all participants, including relevant government agencies, to explore ways to unlock the immense opportunities in Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Sector.

The Export Seminar will feature a welcome address by the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, while the Keynote Speaker is Aliko Dangote, GCON, President & Chief Executive of Dangote Group. Goodwill messages will be delivered by very eminent individuals, including the Founder and Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CON; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, CON; Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), His Excellency, Wamkele Mene; and President/Chairman, African Export-Import Bank, Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah.

There will be three-panel discussions during the seminar. The first panel, titled ‘Unlocking Opportunities in Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Business: Operators/Practitioners’ Perspectives,’ will focus on the value chain and prospects of the non-oil export sector and has five discussants, including the Managing Director, GACON Ltd, HRM Adaku Chidume Okoro; Managing Director, WACOT, Bibhu Nanda; Group Managing Director, Tulip Cocoa, Johan Van Der Merwe; Managing Director, First Patriot, Santosh Phenany; and Managing Director, Starlink Global & Ideal Ltd, Alhaji Adeyemi M. Adeniji.

The second panel, titled ‘Funding/Logistics/Government Support for the Non-Oil Export Sector,’ will explore the availability of long-term funds, insurance; reinsurance, and risk-sharing mechanism for the non-oil export sector. The panel has five discussants, including the Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry, Mr Olukayode Pitan; Director, Development Finance of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yusuf Philip Yila; Managing Director, West Africa Container Terminal, Naved Zafar; Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko; and the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Ibrahim Hameed Ali (Rtd).

The third-panel discussion, titled ‘The ABC of Non-Oil Export,’ will focus on the pitfalls in the non-oil export business, standardisation, and grading of primary export products, as well as the export of services, especially the burgeoning Nigerian creative industry. The panel also has five discussants, including a well-respected trade expert, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo; Founder/CEO, Flutterwave, Agboola Olugbenga; Chairman/CEO, Colossus Investment, Mr. Babatola Faseru; President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi; and Senior Consultant, 3T Impex Trade Centre, Mr Bamidele Ayemibo.