Presidents of two crucial maritime agencies, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Prince Olayiwola Shittu and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Chief Eugene Nweke were recently conferred fellows of the African Centre for Supply Chain management (ACSC) during its 4th Fellowship Investiture and Induction ceremony.
Prince Olayiwola Shittu and Chief Eugene Nweke boast over 50 years of maritime experience and this confirms the echelon of significance and exposure they have attained as erudite maritime leaders which is a plus to the maritime industry and the nation at large.
Other eminent personalities invested Fellowship of the African Centre for Supply Chain management (ACSC) include Chief Dr. Iwowarri James (a prolific author, speaker, consultant and Energy Therapist) Prince Pharm Chijioke Ofomata (Hon. Secretary General of the African Pharmaceutical Federation), Nwatarali Damian (Director in FS Consulting Group and CEO of Energy Investments) and Dr. Simon Emeje (Senior Assistant Postmaster General and Head Courier Regulatory Department, NIPOST).
Speaking at the event, the Director General, African Centre for Supply Chain council (ACSC) Dr. Obiora Madu posited that the logistics and supply chain industry had the capacity to transform Nigeria from its peripheral role in global business centre to becoming a hub of the worldwide commerce terrain.
Dr. Madu explained that rapid development of the logistics and supply chain would drive the Nigerian economy and Africa to the altitude. He acknowledged that the African Centre for Supply Chain management is a research based institution geared towards driving Africa to new heights via the logistics industry since Africa boasts a population of more than 20% of the world.
“Today, Africa has a population of about 20% of the world yet our contribution to global trade is merely 3%. The intra- African trade is currently at 11% while intra- European trade is about 52%, African Centre for Supply Chain management as a research based institution is geared towards making Africa more competitive as well as bring the need business synergy between African countries as well as strengthen the practice of logistics and supply chain management in Africa”, Dr Madu said.
He lamented the scenario were an African country would rather import products from a European nation when the same product of the same value was available in a neighbouring African nation, describing the reason for such scenario as ignorance.
He also added that the ACSC was open to everyone for membership, associate- membership and fellows. He explained that the reason why similar institutes don’t grow was because people wanted to own it, put it between their laps to be able to answer CEOs and MDs, but the ACSC doesn’t employ such model, it’s for all and as a result it boasts membership strength of 130 and 21 fellows.
The ACSC has three major arms which are; Centre for Logistics and Supply Chain Management (CLSCM), Centre for Export- Import Development (CEID) and the Centre for Public Procurement (CPB).
