Organisation of Youths in International Trade and Commerce (OY-ITC), In conjunction with it’s partners, BuyNaija Project FMITI and Committee of Youth on Mobilisation and Sensitisation (CYMS) have called on Nigerian youths to take advantage of the upcoming Houston Trade Show to showcase their products to the world.
Chinedu Amadi, President, OY-ITC made this call at a stakeholders’ forum held on Tuesday, March 8 2022 at the Lekki Coliseum, with the theme: “The Role of Trade Exhibitions in Promoting Non-Oil Export Trade in Nigeria”.
The president noted that the trade show will expose Nigeria’s budding entrepreneurs to International exhibitors and investors as well as ensure that Made-in-Nigeria products and services are showcased and adopted at the global stage.
He added that OY-ITC is a non-profit organisation that supports the development and advancement of Nigerian youth in international trade and commerce by providing trading and networking opportunities to them.
According to him,” OY-ITC was created to showcase the creativity, productivity and competencies of Nigeria youth in trade and commerce while mentoring them for export trade.
“Our main goal is to, through trade missions and exhibitions, create networking opportunities that Focus on the youth exclusively for non-oil export trade.”
Amadi averred that this year’s theme was apt for its high time we begin to diversify the country’s economic activities from over dependence on oil into manufacturing, production and exportation of non-oil export products.
He explained that the resolutions from the forum will help in yielding accelerated economic growth, create more employment opportunities and arrest youth restiveness.
He further called on public spirited Nigerians and patriots to support the initiative by sponsoring eligible participants to the event starting from 30th May- 4th June 2022.
Earlier, Amb. Obinna Nwaka, Director-General, CYMS, said that the partnership with OY-ITC was conceived to identify and mobilise young entrepreneurs as well as scrutinise and create awareness to attract both state and non-state actors.
According to him, “The OY-ITC created a platform that will showcase and share with the world the creativity and productivity of young Nigerians through trade shows in various countries as the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, South Africa, China, Malaysia and several other places.
“The Houston 2022 is a trade mission to the U.S. designed to share with the rest of the world the creativities and productivities of the Nigerian youth to secure patronage for their Made-in-Nigeria products and services.
“The programme which is facilitated by the OY-ITC will also be implemented in partnership with the BuyNiaja Project of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment,” he said.
Nwaka said the implementation committee of the Houston 2022 had also come up with modalities that would ensure the participation of business leaders, organised private sector, philanthropists and multinationals to partake in sponsorship.
He explained that the overall idea was to encourage the Nigerian economic diversification activities from over-dependence on oil into manufacturing, production and exportation of non-oil products to accelerate economic growth.
This, according to him is to reduce unemployment, restiveness among the youth, the attraction of international markets and to make Nigeria the commercial hub of Africa.
“This Houston Trade show intends to encourage and see lots of youths in future transformed into the next generation of Aliko Dangote, Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson Motors and Jelani Aliyu of Chevrolet, who have made the country proud”.
R-L: Amb Judith Omeche, Director BuyNaija Product, Fed. Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Chinedu Amadi, President, OY-ITC, Amb. Obinna Nwaka, Director-General, CYMS, and other dignitaries at a stakeholders’ forum held on Tuesday, March 8 2022 at the Lekki Coliseum,Lagos.
