The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in partnership with stakeholders on export is working on the export promotion action plan EPAP.
The move comes as the council had put itself up for benchmarking by the International Trade Centre since August 2018.
Whilst the council scored well in a number of areas under the watch of International Trade Center, it is clear that there are still much to be improved upon, not least in terms of the strategic plan.
It is good to note that NEPC is undergoing a strategy refresh, which makes it important for the council to hear directly from stakeholders over the direction the council should move.
The Executive Director, CEO Nigeria Export Promotion Council, NEPC Olusegun Awolowo, who was represented by the Director Policy and Strategy, Abdulahi Sidi Aliyu, said participants are invited to discuss ways in which they feel both parties can form additional strategic partnership.
This is an opportunity for stakeholders to show how they feel and how collaboration can be enhanced and improved.
Awolowo stated this during the focus group meeting on non-oil export in Abuja, stating that it is time to discuss past NEPC intervention and how they can improve.
The council will also be expecting feedback from CBI programme, SIAL food fair, women in export events, gulfood expo and Nigeria UK Trade and investment diagnostic study. We know that these events resulted in a number of successes.
According to him, “The SIAL food led to a number of Memorandum of Understanding being signed as well as significant orders particularly for sesame seeds with an order for 19 containers being place.
The CBI programme helped to connect Nigerian exporters to the European market with a potential to expert over 21 million euro in the two years period after the culmination of the programme.
“Despite the success in the aforementioned interventions we know there was a lot we could have improved upon. Presently outsiders have noticed the huge opportunities that our continent possesses.
By 2025 the UN predicts that Africa will have a larger population that China.
Foreign engagement in our continent is reaching unprecedented levels. This brings both challenge and possibilities.”
Africa and its most populous nation, Nigeria are ready to enter into the world of international trade in a major way, and it is entrepreneurs such as you who will lead this charge to make the world a market place for Nigerian non-oil products
