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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 67788, member: 636"]
Nigeria's export promotion agency is pushing to bring thousands of small traders operating outside official channels into the formal economy through better data collection and simplified procedures. Nonye Ayeni, who leads the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, said unrecorded commerce across borders accounts for substantial economic activity that national statistics miss, particularly among women and young merchants moving farm products and manufactured items between West African nations.

The council is working with the National Bureau of Statistics to track shipments along key border routes and identify obstacles traders face, such as inadequate roads and complicated paperwork requirements. Officials visited communities in Oyo and Kebbi states to study these challenges directly. Anne Adulugba told participants at a technical session on Monday in Ibadan that agricultural and artisanal shipments outside petroleum grew more than 20 percent last year to reach $5.46 billion, up from $4.51 billion in 2023.

Customs Deputy Comptroller Paul Pansuak Goar explained that his service handles trade regulations beyond revenue collection, working with quality control agencies to verify exports meet international requirements. Ayobami Omotoso, who represents transnational border market associations, praised the council for helping certify processing facilities that meet global production standards.
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