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Stories by Merit Ibe, [email protected]
Principal Manager, Service Compact (SERVICOM), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and a recipient of the Top 100 Most Influential African Women in Supply Chain 2022, Funmilayo Loremikan, is a seasoned career clarity and accelerator coach, who helps young professionals get direction in career choices and accelerated growth to unlock their potential.
The maritime professional with 29 years of strategic and focused leadership serving in Tariff & Billing and Servicom Departments in the NPA, explained the role of SERVICOM in operationalising the Executive Order 001 on the ease of doing business, improving the business environment and the use of technology in supply chain, which has brought about numerous benefits that have revolutionised the way businesses operate, among others.
Career journey
I am currently a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and Fellow of the African Centre for Supply Chain, Institute of Management Consultants, Institute of Corporate Administration and full member of Chartered Institute of Transport Administration.
I joined NPA as a marketing officer II in 1994 and grew on the career ladder to become a principal manager, Servicom on grade level 15. I am currently heading the SERVICOM Department in Calabar Port Complex.
I experienced stagnation, abandonment, intimidation, victimisation and frustration on the job at some point in my career journey.
But rather than allow such set backs define who I am, I chose to develop myself academically and professionally to add value to my life.
My effort is yielding fruit today as one of the outstanding, thought- leader and competent professional in logistics and supply chain as well as a career mentor to young professionals in the maritime industry, logistics and supply chain profession.
In 2021, I contested as the first female deputy national president of the CILT, breaking the barrier and glass ceiling. Though I didn’t win the election, I broke the record as a competent professional and a phenomenal thought leader. I was able to achieve my goal of announcing myself as a force to reckon with and a voice in the logistics and supply chain profession globally.
Supply chain in Nigeria
Supply Chain encompasses everything from the delivery of source or raw materials from the supplier to the manufacturer through to end users. I believe that COVID-19 disrupted supply chain activities in Nigeria like every other part of the world due to the lockdown and movement restrictions designed to slow down the spread of the pandemic. This policy hampered businesses, slowed down trade, disrupted distribution of raw materials and finished products causing significant uncertainty for Nigerian business communities and investors.
The pandemic had negative impact on food supply chain in Nigeria and it is already being felt in the form of rising food prices as a result of the disruption in the distribution of agricultural products, pharmaceutical products and production.
The world is yet to get over the impact of COVID-19 on international trade and living standards.
Technology
This is a welcome development. Technological development has simplified supply chain processes. The benefits of technology outweigh the disadvantages.
The use of technology in the supply chain has brought about numerous benefits that have revolutionised the way businesses operate.
The maritime industry has always been a crucial component of global trade, responsible for transporting goods and commodities across oceans and seas. With technology, the industry has seen a significant shift in the way it operates, with the implementation of supply chain technology leading the way.
One of the most significant benefits of supply chain technology in maritime is increased efficiency.
The benefits of supply chain technology in maritime are numerous and significant. From increased efficiency to improved visibility, security, safety and sustainability, companies that embrace technology can gain a competitive edge in the industry and improve their bottom line while also promoting positive societal and environmental outcomes.
With the use of advanced software, automated processes and data analytics, companies can streamline their operations, reducing delays and errors in the supply chain. This not only saves time and money but also leads to improved customer satisfaction and a more competitive edge in the market.
Another benefit is improved visibility and transparency. By leveraging technology such as GPS tracking, RFID tags and blockchain, companies can and have been able to gain real-time visibility into the location and status of their goods. This enables better decision-making, allows for proactive problem-solving and provides increased transparency to stakeholders across the supply chain.
The benefits of supply chain technology in maritime are numerous and significant.
Young startups
As a career clarity coach, my focus is on helping young professionals and undergraduates unlock their full potential. I believe everyone has unique talents and strengths and it’s my job to help them discover and channel them into fulfilling career paths.
My coaching involves providing career guidance and direction, as well as helping my clients develop the necessary skills and expertise to achieve their goals. Whether it’s preparing for job interviews or promotion interviews or crafting a compelling resume or curriculum vitae, I’m there to guide and empower them every step of the way.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my work is seeing my clients achieve their dreams and goals. As a mentor and career coach, I’ve had the pleasure of helping unemployed young professionals start small-scale businesses in catering services, business centres, laundry services, courier services and despatch, among others.
Through my coaching, I aim to instil confidence and self-belief in my clients, so that they can pursue their passion and achieve their full potential. It’s truly rewarding to see them grow, develop and succeed in their chosen careers.
I have been able to impact the lives of young professional through career clarity coaching, career choice mentoring, financial empowerment for education and entrepreneurship, resume writing and review and pro-bono coaching sessions for more than 30 young professionals to solve various career related problems and skills development.
Some of my clients or mentees as they are called have been able to choose a career in logistics, transport and supply chain, change their profession, registered to become members of the CILT and African Centre for Supply Chain.
Harsh environment
It has not been easy for businesses, young professionals and fresh university graduates to survive in this harsh environment. I receive minimum of five employment requests daily from my followers on LinkedIn and Facebook.
It is painful that I cannot offer them employment. I coach and mentor them not to focus on government employment but to develop special skills that can make them self-employed on social media such as content creation, virtual assistant, page admin, website designer, book editor and so on.
A lot of unemployed professionals have been able to change their courses or profession and chart a part or course after their encounter with me as a mentor, coach and a role model. I have been able to guide them to choose profitable small-scale businesses or services in what they are passionate about or talented in instead of waiting for jobs that are not readily available or enough for the unemployed graduates as a result of the harsh environment and the economy.
Challenges
Some of the challenges that young entrepreneurs and professionals face in Nigeria are mindset issues, emotional intelligence, skills development, business and career clarity, financial problems, lack of support from family and government, competition, non availability of electricity or power supply, equipment costs, demand and supply, high cost of production.
Some of these challenges faced by young entrepreneurs and start-ups require coaching and mentorship to get clarity on the choice of business, sources of finance, how to grow the business and how to leverage on the power of the social media to attract client and increase sales. Coaching helps young entrepreneurs make cautious decisions, having a goal or vision, follow a step-by-step problem-solving habits and augment personal growth.
Ease of doing business
The fact is that the current government of Nigeria has taken significant steps towards creating a business-friendly environment in the country.
One of the most notable actions was the signing of Executive Order 001 by the Vice President in 2017. This order was specifically designed to address key challenges facing businesses in Nigeria, particularly in relation to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The Executive Order targeted five main areas; Transparency and Efficiency, Default Approvals, One Government, Entry Experience of Visitors and Travellers and Port Operations.
By addressing these issues, the government aimed to make doing business in Nigeria easier and more streamlined for both local and foreign investors.
One of the key objectives of the Executive Order was to increase transparency and efficiency in the MDAs. This was achieved by establishing clear timelines for the processing of applications, as well as creating a central platform for tracking the progress of applications. The order also mandated the use of technology to eliminate human interference and reduce the incidence of corruption in the approval process.
Overall, government’s efforts to ease doing business in Nigeria through the Executive Order have been commendable. The implementation of this order has led to a significant improvement in the country’s business climate and has attracted more foreign investors to the country. However, there is still room for improvement.
SERVICOM
Servicom is a government agency responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality services to the public. Their duties encompass a range of activities, including handling customer complaints and enquiries, service charter formulation and monitoring, service improvement intervention and operationalising the Executive Order 001 on the ease of doing business.
One of the key responsibilities of SERVICOM is handling customer complaints and enquiries. They aim to provide a platform for customers to air their grievances and receive prompt resolution.
This helps to improve customer satisfaction and build trust in government’s ability to deliver quality services.
Another important duty of SERVICOM is service charter formulation and monitoring. A service charter is a document that outlines the standards of service delivery that the public can expect from a particular government agency. Servicom works with different government agencies to develop and implement service charters and then monitors compliance with these standards.
Service improvement intervention is another critical function of SERVICOM. This involves identifying areas where government agencies are falling short in service delivery and working with them to develop strategies for improvement. The goal is to continuously improve service delivery and ensure that the public receives the best possible service.
SERVICOM is responsible for operationalising the executive order 001 on the ease of doing business. This involves developing and submitting monthly reports to the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) on the progress of government agencies in implementing reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria. These reports are critical for monitoring the effectiveness of government policies and ensuring that the country remains competitive in the global business environment.
By identifying areas where government agencies are falling short in service delivery and working with them to develop strategies for improvement, SERVICOM helps to ensure that the public receives the best possible service. This commitment to continuous improvement is a hallmark of good leadership, as it demonstrates a willingness to listen to feedback and make changes as needed.
Finally, SERVICOM’s role in operationalising the Executive Order 001 on the ease of doing business promotes good leadership by encouraging government agencies to be proactive in implementing reforms aimed at improving the business environment.
Public servants
Some public servants have reneged in their service despite SERVICOM impact as a result of their mindset, values, beliefs and attitude to work. They are opposed to change and development. Few of such people exist in public service of today and their role is not significant at all.
To correct the abnormalities, such workers are given roles, functions and job schedule that don’t impact negatively on port operations, service delivery, efficiency, safety and security.
These workers are sensitized, trained and retrained on quality service delivery, handling customer complaints and how to deal with aggrieved or aggressive customers from time to time.
Gender bias
There is nothing like gender equality in the workplace. In the Maritime industry where I work, it is male dominated. Only few women make it to the top or the board room.
To my knowledge, the few women succeeding in the maritime industry rather got to the top through hard-work, intelligence, knowledge, relevant skills, contributory participation in decision making, determination, focus and professionalism not as a result of their gender or equality.
They struggled to make themselves visible and be heard in the male dominated maritime industry.
