Free On Board (FOB) Goods and Logistics firm, has partnered the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) to build a N250 million packaging factory at the Murtala Muhammad Airport (MMA), Lagos.
The factory is expected to improve the packaging of all local items leaving the country in line with global standards.
Chief Executive of FOB, Oluwajimi Adebakin, told reporters that talks were in the final stage with NAHCO towards the commencement of the packaging project as the site had already been secured.
Adebakin explained that the project, which is termed “Brand Nigeria”, is a national assignment to ensure that products exported from Nigeria meet international standards through proper labeling and packaging.
“Our packaging of products is a major issue but we are looking at it seriously. By December or first quarter of 2021, packaging problems will be a thing of the past. Then, the issue will not be lack of options in packaging, but not using the facility that stakeholders have made available,” he said.
He disclosed that the Federal Government was also planning to build domestic warehouses across the six geo-political zones, to cater for exports and help to decongest the Lagos area.
The domestic warehousing facilities, when completed, will have internal storage facilities, packaging facilities and temperature control facilities for perishables and non-perishables.
The gesture, Adebakin said, would create jobs for the youths, and the government would create an enabling environment through its zero-oil policy to encourage the youths in works that would meet standards for export.
“The government has finally woken up and we thank the president for taking this bold initiative to let us start looking inwards. We want to regain what we lost in the 50’s. Let us go back to where our comparative advantage lies.
“The main thrust of the zero-oil policy is to ensure that we create gainful employment for our youths.
“Nigerians are highly talented, from entertainment to music, and culture; you name it. What the government is now proposing to do is to create the enabling environment. It is going to be a thing of the past for somebody to say ‘I am not employed’,” he said.
