· Construction of the Africa Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC) has started in Ogun State in Nigeria.
· Announcing this, President of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah said that the AQAC will help deliver the highest quality African goods, strengthening their competitiveness and providing confidence to buyers.
· The institution has a key role to play as African businesses are set for a major transformation as AfCFTA opens up new markets across the continent and the globe.
Construction of the Africa Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC) has started in Ogun State in Nigeria. Announcing this, President of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah said that the AQAC will help deliver the highest quality African goods, strengthening their competitiveness and providing confidence to buyers. The institution has a key role to play as African businesses are set for a major transformation as AfCFTA opens up new markets across the continent and the globe. To mark a successful global presence, African products must meet international standards.
AQAC, a state-of-the-art facility for testing, certification, inspection and training services covering the agriculture value chain is the first in a series of quality assurance centres Afreximbank intends to establish across Africa. Located in Oyo State, at the centre of a region known for export agriculture the Centre, is expected to commence operations by the second quarter of 2022. It has the potential to provide more than 400 jobs, including over 180 in the highly-skilled areas of quality assurance, testing, inspection and certification.
The centres’ on-site training academy will provide the public and private sector with training in standards and quality assurance and necessary skills for businesses to compete in global markets. President of Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, called it as an important step, not only in boosting the ‘made-in-Africa’ brand but also as a driver for greater exports increased manufacturing and more resilient economies across the continent.
