The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, in partnership with AfreximBank, a leading pan-African multilateral financial institution focused on financing and promoting intra- and extra-African trade, and ImpactHER, a not-for-profit organisation for empowering African female entrepreneurs by bridging the gender business financing gap, has officially launched the Lagos SMEs Export Readiness Programme (LASERP) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as part of efforts to scale their businesses beyond national borders under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The opening ceremony of the export readiness training programme was organised by the Lagos Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment.
At the event at Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Lagos on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Commerce, Lagos State, Folashade Bada Ambrose, described the launch as a defining chapter in Lagos State’s collective commitment to expanding the frontiers of international trade participation for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Ambrose described the initiative’s launch as a bold step towards transforming Lagos-based businesses into globally competitive exporters, building wealth, creating jobs, and amplifying Lagos State and Nigeria’s economic prosperity.
She noted that a total of 253 successful SMEs have been shortlisted for the programme.
She said: “The concept of export readiness is not just a trending term but an economic imperative.
“In an era marked by regional integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) operationalisation, we cannot afford to keep our vibrant enterprises confined to domestic markets.
“Our MSMEs must evolve from local champions to continental contenders. Nigeria, and Lagos State, in particular, has long been regarded as the economic engine of West Africa.
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“But being an engine is not enough if we are not propelling forward.
“This programme is the vehicle that will drive us into new markets, beyond borders, and into the centre of intra-African commerce.”
Expressing appreciation to esteemed partners Afreximbank and ImpactHER for their collaboration, commitment to facilitating trade and industrialisation across Africa, and empowerment of women-led businesses on the continent, Ambrose noted that the week-long training has been meticulously designed to demystify the export process, build practical skills, and create a clear pathway to cross-border trade participation.
She stated that the training, which kicks on July 4, 2025, will offer participants the opportunity to be immersed in high-value sessions covering export documentation and regulatory compliance, product packaging and labelling standards for international markets, trade finance and export credit guarantees, understanding logistics, customs, and border procedures, market entry strategies, especially under the AfCFTA, Digital trade and e-commerce opportunities and Gender-responsive exporting for women-led MSMEs.
She added: “And that is not all.
“At the end of this training, 20 outstanding participants will be selected to represent Lagos at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) scheduled to be held in Algiers, Algeria, in September 2025.
“The Fair is a gateway to over 1.3 billion consumers and provides a chance to engage buyers, investors, partners, and policy influencers from across the continent.
“Our selected trainees will become Lagos’ Export Ambassadors.”
In his remarks, the Director, SME development, AfreximBank, Ody Akhanoba, while congratulating all the lucky beneficiaries of the initiative, noted that the selection is a testament to their dedication to building successful export-oriented businesses and a reflection of the bank’s commitment to expanding into the international market.
Akhanoba explained that empowering SMEs with the resources they need via capacity training presents a significant opportunity to increase Africa’s share of exports.
He said: “We are at the edge of turning on the SME’s capacity to be more competitive in the market.
“With that in mind, we have taken concrete steps to promote the participation of SMEs in the African landscape through strategic interventions, such as facilitating trade and finance, capacity building, and market access.”
He disclosed that the bank has contributed significantly to providing training capacity to over 3,000 African SMEs through tailored incubator and accelerator programmes similar to the newly launched Lagos State/AfreximBank Accelerator Programme.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olugbenga Aina, commended the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his purposeful leadership in the areas of commerce and industry, especially in empowering and accelerating the growth of SMES.
Aina described the Accelerator Programme for SMEs as another first that would help to equip Lagos-based SMEs with the necessary technical tools they desire to scale them up to the next level.
Also speaking, the Representative of ImpactHER’s founder, Clementina Uzogor, explained that the six-week training programme, comprising four weeks of training and two weeks of mentorship, is meant to enhance and scale participants’ export businesses and provide a platform to network with trade experts and other Nigerian WSMEs.
Uzogor stated further that the major objectives of the programme include building capacity for MSMEs, particularly women, strengthening the Lagos trade ecosystem, market exposure, and trade facilitation, and providing access to promotion opportunities.
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