Kenyatta dairy firm among top gainers from Buhari visit

Tea and dairy processors are the immediate beneficiaries of President Muhammadu Buhari’s maiden visit to Kenya after Nigeria agreed to lift a ban that has locked their products out of its market for decades.

Long life milk and tea leaves, the two commodities that Kenya enjoys comparative advantage in producing, are among the 138 products from Africa that the populous nation has banned from its territory for years.

Last week, the two sides agreed to work on a formula to lift the ban on exports of tea and dairy products.

That decision came after President Buhari lamented that the two states enjoyed cordial diplomatic relations “yet there has been no uhuru (freedom)” for traders operating between the two markets.

“The two states agreed to reconsider the decision by Nigeria banning some of the major Kenyan goods such as tea, dairy products and cotton from accessing their market,” said Trade secretary Adan Mohamed.

“Kenya is an open market where Nigeria is allowed to export all goods without restriction and they should reciprocate the same,” he added.

Among the long life processors eyeing Nigerian market is the Kenyatta family-owned Brookside Dairy.

Brookside executive chairman Muhoho Kenyatta said the firm is eyeing the larger Economic Community of West African States market.

“Having been able to considerably satisfy the East African market with our products, we are keen in casting our vision and scope wider by venturing into the West African market,” he said.

READ: Brookside plans for West Africa exports get Buhari visit boost

A fortnight ago, Mr Kenyatta said he had put a strong case for Kenya during his visits abroad to expand the market of tea exports noting that Nigeria had expressed interest in buying Kenyan beverage.

Mr Mohamed said he would be meeting members of the private sector in the coming days to discuss 10 critical goods whose ban should be lifted fast, before embarking on the remaining items.

He said the two states, under their respective chambers of commerce would form committees, in their ministries of trade to act as a contact point in fast tracking the implementation of the signed memorandum of understanding.

“We have agreed to have a unit in Kenya and Nigeria that will be concerned with facilitating all interactions concerning trade between these two countries,” he said.

Mr Mohamed said the two committees would come up with the specific action plans in the next 60 days for implementation of the signed agreements.

He also said that all MoUs signed before need to be reevaluated and fast tracked for quick implementation.