Nigerian Manufacturers have said delays during inspections at the ports and as well as abrupt changes in policies were slowing down the export of manufactured products.
The Supply Chain Director at Kimberley-Clark Nigeria, Azukaego Chukwuelue, during a webinar organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on Thursday, said policy inconsistencies are among the critical issues threatening the supply chain of businesses.
Addressing the theme ‘Managing supply chain challenges in Nigeria’, she added that the first half of 2021 was marred by severe port congestion due to changes in documentation, frequent hikes due to vessel congestion and container availability challenges.
She added that the devaluation of the naira and delays in port inspection and approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
She identified other challenges as sourcing of raw materials and capability to drive backward integration, foreign exchange allocation problems and technology adoption.
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Also speaking, Ete Pinnick, the Supply Chain Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Mondelez International, said, that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) would require participating countries to build local infrastructure to create a competitive advantage.
He said, “Stop giving bribes. If all of us stop doing that today, it might cause a delay in the short term but it will end and build a resilient supply chain in the long term. We need to be accountable and also infuse our supply chains with value to improve their capability.
“Listen to people, get feedback and improve your processes. This improves the predictability of a supply chain. Use simple, low-cost, scalable solutions rather than setting up costly systems in the name of design.”
