Agnes Ekebuike
The Executive Chairman, Courier and Logistics Management Institute (CLMI), Professor Simon Emeje, has said the courier and logistics sub-sector can boost Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 60 per cent, if fully tapped.
The CLMI boss said tapping into the industry with assets worth over ₦15 trillion requires regulatory excellence and innovation.
He made the remarks during a press conference to announce the forthcoming CLMI International Conference and Investiture to be held on November 14, 2024 in Lagos, with Vice President Kashim Shettima, as the special guest of honour, under the theme: ‘Unlocking Economic Potentials and Fostering Nation-Building through Logistics Instruments’.
Emeje, who is the first professor of courier, logistics, transport, and management in Nigeria, expressed dissatisfaction over the inability of the federal government to fully harness the potential of the sector, primarily due to government’s inability to entrench regulations that will drive innovation, investments and growth.
According to him, “This industry that has such huge assets should have the federal government’s recognition. The country is looking for measures to increase revenue and stabilise the economy. Maybe it has not occurred to policymakers, both at the federal and state levels, that logistics and courier services contribute to economic growth by facilitating the movement of goods and services, which improves supply chain efficiency, reduces costs, and increases competitiveness.
“The logistics sector in every economy employs millions of people more than oil and gas sector, including truck drivers, warehouse workers, supply chain managers, and freight forwarders, among others.
“This is why CLMI exists. We are here to assist the system, particularly in helping the government on policies and regulations, while training professionals to remain profitable and ethical. Other countries are already consulting us, but charity they say starts at home. We make bold to say that when logistics infrastructure, such as ports, airports, and customs procedures, are well developed, they enable global trade and economic integration. That way, the logistics industry contributes to national income and foreign investment influx. Courier services play an important role in driving efficiency and meeting customer demands”.
Emeje further said out of the N15 trillion worth of assets, just 20 per cent of the combined market of Courier, Logistics, Transport and Management, is currently being utilised across Nigeria.
On skills development in the sector, he said: “The professionals in these combined areas of courier business are very few in number. We have less than 10 per cent of experts that can actually embark on capacity building and proper training that will set the economy in good shape.
“There is no sector of the Nigerian economy or the global economy that is not tied to these four areas. The government is looking for money to develop infrastructure, but the money is in our hands. Just we don’t know how to tap them.”
Emeje explained that CLMI International Conference and Investiture would be convened as a platform for the regulators and players to discuss issues affecting the industry, adding that as a significant component of the economy, logistics affects the rate of inflation, interest, productivity, energy costs and availability, and other aspects of the economy.