2023 CHINET AviaCargo Conference to Focus on Agro Exports

Following the successes recorded at its 2022 conference, organisers of the annual Chinet Aviacargo Conference have announced 9th/10th August as the dates for the 2023 edition of the conference scheduled to hold in Lagos.

The first and second editions of the event were acknowledged as milestones in the aviation and cargo sector with many successes flowing from them.

Notably, the communique from the second edition led to the creation of an Aviacargo Committee by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). The committee was created to develop a road map to drive export and turn the country into a cargo hub. The theme for this year’s conference is: ‘Unlocking The Logistics Barrier To Improved Agro Product Exports.’

According to the organisers, Nigeria is largely regarded as an import driven economy with oil being the major export accounting for 96 per cent. Last year, Nigeria recorded non-oil export earnings of $4.82 billion, an increase of over 39 per cent, according to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Africa was the leading destination for Kenya’s exports in 2022, accounting for 41 per cent of the country’s total export earnings. The agency said that the country’s total exports to Africa hit $2.62 billion last year, with the East African Community (EAC) economic bloc accounting for 63.3 per cent of the total exports to Africa.

Nigeria is about 1.6 times bigger than Kenya. Kenya is approximately 580,367 sq km, while Nigeria is approximately 923,768 sq km, making Nigeria 59 per cent larger than Kenya. Meanwhile, the population of Kenya is 55.9 million people. Over 200 million people live in Nigeria. Nigeria’ export figure can be increased if the necessary policy, systems and infrastructure are put in place. Kenya currently is leading Aviacargo Airport in Africa.

Nigeria is the leading producer of many agro products but does not export much of these produces. It is believed that the challenge of Nigeria and most African countries is in the logistics problems between the farm and the airport. The need to unlock this barrier in other to improve and increase Agro Produce will be the Focus of Chinet 2023. This will help to ensure that Nigeria becomes a bigger export driven economy.

The 2023 Aviacargo Conference will be an instrument in moving the country to its desired objective of making Nigeria a cargo and export hub. It will further enlighten more farmers, Agricultural Associations, Government Agencies, Logistics Companies and other components in the sector on the plans/processes and right steps to take to meet International Best Practices and export more by air, the conference organisers said in a statement.