Marketing · Lesson 9

Market unions, facilitators and international marketing

WAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

WAEC: WAEC/NECO Marketing topics 15 (Market unions and facilitators) and 16 (International marketing: meaning, reasons, methods of entry, environment, export procedure and documents, payments, ECOWAS/AfCFTA). JAMB does not examine Marketing.

NECO: WAEC/NECO Marketing topics 15 (Market unions and facilitators) and 16 (International marketing: meaning, reasons, methods of entry, environment, export procedure and documents, payments, ECOWAS/AfCFTA). JAMB does not examine Marketing.

What you will learn

Explain market unions, their types, functions and problems.
Describe trade and professional associations including NIMN.
Explain marketing facilitators and their importance.
Identify government agencies that regulate and facilitate marketing.
Explain international marketing, reasons and differences from domestic marketing.
Describe methods of entering foreign markets and the international environment.
Outline export procedures, documents, payment methods and regional trade arrangements.

Key points

Market unions protect traders’ interests; Iyaloja and commodity associations are examples.
Functions: protect, regulate, settle disputes, welfare, credit, information, liaison.
Problems: price fixing (illegal under FCCPA 2018), entry restriction, poor leadership.
Trade and professional bodies: NACCIMA, MAN, NASME, NIMN (2003), ARCON, NIPR.
Facilitators: banks, insurers, transport, warehouses, ad agencies, research firms, clearing agents.
Government agencies: FCCPC, NAFDAC, SON, CAC, Customs, NEPC, NIPC, SMEDAN.
International marketing: reasons include larger markets, scale, risk spreading, foreign exchange.
Entry methods: indirect and direct export, licensing, franchising, joint venture, FDI.
Environment: culture, law, economics (exchange rates), technology; tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Export procedure and documents: pro forma and commercial invoices, bill of lading, certificate of origin.
Payment: advance, letter of credit, collections, open account.
ECOWAS 1975; AfCFTA signed by Nigeria 2019, trading 2021; NEPC 1976; WTO 1995.

Start here: Market unions: meaning and types

WAEC topic 15 covers market unions and facilitators. A market union (market association) is an organisation of traders, producers or service providers in a market or line of business, formed to protect and promote their common interests. Nigerian markets have strong traditions of such associations.

Types of market unions

Market traders’ associations: organisations of all traders in a particular market (e.g. associations in Onitsha Main Market, Balogun Market or Ariaria), often led by elected chairmen and executives.
Commodity or line associations: traders dealing in one product: yam sellers, tomato sellers, cattle dealers, spare-parts dealers, textile traders, phone and accessories dealers.
Market women’s leadership: in many Yoruba markets the Iyaloja (and in some places an Iyaloja-General) leads market women; similar traditional market leadership exists in other parts of the country (e.g. a Sarkin Kasuwa, “king of the market”, in many northern markets).
Transport unions: such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), important in moving goods and people.
Producers’ associations: farmers’ groups and co-operatives (e.g. rice farmers’, poultry farmers’ associations).
Artisans’ associations: tailors, hairdressers, mechanics, welders.

Organisation

Most unions have a constitution, elected officers (chairman, secretary, treasurer), regular meetings, membership dues and rules for members’ conduct. Some register with government or affiliate with larger bodies.

Historical role

Market women played major roles in Nigerian history, including protests against unfair colonial taxation, such as the Aba Women’s War of 1929 and the Abeokuta women’s protests of the 1940s led by Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. This shows how traders’ organisations can influence policy.

Worked example 9.1

Give three examples of market unions in Nigeria. A market traders’ association (e.g. in Onitsha Main Market), a commodity association (e.g. tomato sellers), market women led by an Iyaloja (also transport unions such as NURTW).

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Practice questions

1. The leader of market traders in many Hausa markets is the

Sarkin Kasuwa
Iyaloja
Oba
Emir’s chief imam

Show answer

A: Sarkin Kasuwa
Iyaloja is Yoruba.

2. Market women’s protests against colonial taxation include the Aba Women’s War of

1960
1914
1975
1929

Show answer

D: 1929
Against taxation of women.

3. The Abeokuta women’s protests of the 1940s were led by

Queen Amina
Moremi
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
Margaret Ekpo

Show answer

C: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
Abeokuta Women’s Union.

4. Nigeria closed its land borders to trade in goods from

January 2021 onwards
August 2019 to December 2020
2015 to 2016
2000 to 2005

Show answer

B: August 2019 to December 2020
To curb smuggling.

5. ECOWAS was founded by the Treaty of Lagos on

28 May 1975
1 October 1960
7 July 2019
1 January 1995

Show answer

A: 28 May 1975
ECOWAS integration.

Key words

Market union: Association of traders protecting common interests.
Iyaloja: Traditional leader of market women in many Yoruba markets.
NIMN: National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (Act 2003).
Marketing facilitator: Agency helping exchange without owning goods.
Clearing and forwarding agent: Handles customs clearance and shipping.
FCCPC: Competition and consumer protection regulator (FCCPA 2018).
International marketing: Marketing across national boundaries.
Licensing: Granting rights to use IP for royalties.
Joint venture: Shared ownership with a foreign partner.
FDI: Owning production or subsidiaries abroad.
Non-tariff barrier: Trade restriction other than duties, e.g. quotas.
Pro forma invoice: Quotation in invoice form.

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