The Managing Director of Gum Arabic Company Nigeria Limited, Ugoeze Ada Chidume-Okoro, bagged the NEPC award of Nigeria’s Lead Woman Exporter in the Non-oil Sector.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) on Saturday, November 26, recognised the Gum Arabic Company Nigeria Limited together with other outstanding business outfits that have significantly contributed to the growth of the non-oil export business in Nigeria.
The NEPC is a federal government agency established to encourage the promotion, development and diversification of exports, especially non-oil exports, which make up about 20 percent of national revenue.
NEPC executive director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ezra Yakusak, said the awardees were selected from the monthly pre-shipment inspectors report the Council receives on all exports at the various departure points.
He said the awardees were outstanding in their shipments, the reason they were shortlisted for the awards at the NEPC week which ended on Saturday, November 26 with an Award and Gala Nite at the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event was attended by stakeholders in the Nigerian non-oil export sector, including Nollywood greats – Francis Duru, Monalisa Chinda, Ejike Asiegbu, Sunny Mcdon, among others – who added colour to the event.
British American Tobacco clinched the award for the best exporter to the African market, beating Dangote and Indorama.
For the Mineral Resources category, Segilola emerged tops.
The Gum Arabic Company Nigeria Limited emerged tops in the category of women-oriented companies.
The Managing Director of the company, Ugoeze Ada Chidume-Okoro, bagged the NEPC award of Nigeria’s Lead Woman Exporter in the Non-oil Sector, an award she received on behalf of the firm.
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A “letter of nomination for an award at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) export week,” dated November 18, 2022, which was signed by Dr. Yakusak and addressed to the Managing Director of Gum Arabic Company Nigeria Limited, read in part: “In recognition of your contribution to the growth of the non-oil export sector, I am pleased to inform you that you have been nominated for an award.”
The award was part of the #Export4Survival campaign, which the NEPC organised for the maiden edition of its export week.
The one-week event which commenced from Monday, November 21 and ended Saturday, November 26, included official launch of the #Export4Survival campaign by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, public lectures, tour of media houses and #Export4Survival Walk.
The award and gala night in Lagos was the climax of the one-week activities.
The Gum Arabic Company Nigeria Limited is a major exporter of Nigeria’s agricultural products, food ingredients, herbs and botanicals.
Ada Chidume-Okoro, an agropreneur, is also the Managing Director of African Agronomics Limited, a Nigerian company that is into the processing and export of Nigerian agricultural produce, food ingredients, herbs and botanicals.
The products include bird eye chili pepper, dried split ginger, dried kolanut, sesame seed, dried hibiscus flower, amongst others.
She has been in the agricultural products exporting business for over two decades.
In recognition of her immense contributions to the sector, she was honoured in 2010 by President Goodluck Jonathan as ‘Woman Exporter of the Year 2010 – Non-Oil Export.’
Ugoeze Ada Chidume-Okoro who has both first and second degrees in Economics is a Fellow and serves as council member on the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), member Global Network of Food Professionals and Institute of Food Technologists.
Speaking to TheNiche after receiving the award, Ugoeze Ada Chidume-Okoro said she is excited.
“Export is a highly technical business which requires total commitment and energy. It is not something you can do part time. And you need to be focused and face it squarely. This is a line of business I am passionate about. This award will only spur me on to do more,” she said.
