Omolabake Fasogbon

Business leaders have been charged to elevate supply chain management from a back-office function to a strategic imperative for sustainability, governance, and resilience.

 Supply chain experts who gathered at the African Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC) maiden supply chain conference held in Lagos recently emphasised the relevance of logistics across the board, including governance, commerce, and humanitarian efforts, citing their relevance to system survival.

The conference, themed ‘Supply Chain of Now: Technology, Sustainability and Social Impact,’ brought together academics, supply chain experts, and business leaders for an in-depth panel discussion on driving progress and innovation in the industry.

Speaking, Director General of ACSC, Dr. Obiora Madu, said the conference was long overdue to address urgent current challenges. 

 Madu insisted that firms must treat supply chain management as a core business function, or risk collapse, warning that gaps can have far-reaching consequences like disrupting elections, delay humanitarian aid, and cripple factory operations.

 He highlighted a three-pillar strategy crucial to strengthening Africa’s supply chain including education, research, and networking.

He declared that ACSC had been pioneering Initiatives in these areas to enhance supply chain on the continent. 

 “So far, we have pushed for the inclusion of Logistics and Supply Chain Management in Nigerian university curricula. This was like a battle to push through, but today, we have students entering their third year in the program.”

 “On the research front, we have published the Nigerian Logistics and Supply Chain Industry Report for seven consecutive years, as well as the Ghana report. We are now working with regional partners on a West African edition to broaden the scope, with plans underway to establish a Pan-African logistics movement to unify efforts across the continent, “he said. 

 On his part, Group Director, Supply Chain Flour Mill of Nigeria, Cephas  Afebuameh stressed urgent transformation of supply chain to avoid further economic challenges.

 In his keynote address, Afebuameh urged players to reposition sector as a driver of national growth by embracing technology, sustainability, and social impact. 

 He admonished, “True success goes beyond financial gains; it’s about building operations that last generations, transform communities, and protect the environment. Failure to embed sustainability in operations has direct consequences on the economy. From congested ports, to eroding investor confidence, and limiting Nigeria’s global competitiveness”.

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