The Federal Government has urged exporters to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital platforms to improve their access to global markets.
Mrs Ngozi Ibe, Regional Coordinator, South-South Regional Office, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Port Harcourt, made the call at a capacity-building workshop in Port Harcourt on Friday.
The workshop focused on “Harnessing Digital Platforms for Non-Oil Export Growth: Expanding Global Market Access Through Digital Innovation”.
Ibe said digital technologies had transformed how businesses identified markets, promoted products, connected with buyers and built relationships across borders.
She said exporters in Rivers no longer needed to rely solely on traditional methods of finding international customers.
“With the right digital knowledge and tools, an exporter can identify potential markets, understand consumer demand, research competitors and showcase products,” she said.
Ibe identified cassava and its derivatives, oil palm products, spices, cocoa, fisheries, aquaculture products, plantain, coconut, processed foods and handicrafts as export opportunities in Rivers.
She, however, said unfortunately, those products were lacking in sufficiency, without proper visibility, competitiveness, positioning and accessibility to international buyers.
“This training is about enabling exporters to onboard their products and services online through digital platforms in order to expand their market reach.
“Our objective is not simply to teach exporters how to put their products online. We want to help them become market-ready, digitally visible and commercially competitive,” she said.
Ibe also stressed the importance of quality, packaging and labelling in navigating the export ecosystem.
She urged exporters to leverage guidance from agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to meet required standards.
The coordinator said market intelligence was critical to helping exporters determine suitable destinations and understand demand, competition and market-access conditions.
She encouraged participants to use International Trade Centre (ITC) tools, including Trade Map, Market Access Map and Export Potential Map, to make evidence-based decisions.
Dr Daniel Ekpah, an AI and Information Technology consultant, said digital platforms had bridged the gap between exporters and their desired audiences by enabling businesses to target customers based on location and interests.
Ekpah, who presented a paper on: “Building a Strong Digital Presence for Export Business” urged exporters to create quality content and promote their products on social media platforms.
He also advised them to develop websites that would serve as landing pages where prospective customers could learn about their brands, products and businesses.
The consultant stressed the importance of product quality and integrity and advised exporters to ensure that information posted online were authentic.
He said AI tools were increasingly being used to verify the authenticity of individuals, brands and products, making credibility essential for businesses seeking international customers.
According to him, exporters should also use testimonials and positive customer experiences to strengthen their brands and attract more buyers online.
“Once people get your product and say good things about your product; post it online and let people see it,” Ekpah said.
One of the exporters, Mr Amadi Fidelis, described the workshop as an eye-opener for Nigerian exporters.
Fidelis, who is the National President, Association of Commercial Farmers and Agro-Allied Producers of Nigeria, said exporters had acquired knowledge required to expand their global presence and improve the visibility of their products.
“Some of us have our websites. This workshop has actually enlightened us that we need to review how our websites work,” he said.
Fidelis said he would review his business website and apply Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies to improve its ranking on Google.
 Follow the MoneyCentral Nigeria channel on WhatsApp: Click here!
 and digital platforms to improve their access to global markets.){kind=link}