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Tag: NEPC

  • FCMB, NEPC boost non-oil export

    First City Monument Bank (FCMB) in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) will be holding a customer forum for exporters. The event with theme: “Financial Inclusion for Non-oil Exports Growth” which holds in Kano on November 30, is expected to help participants deepen their knowledge of non-oil export business

    The interactive forum, which is fourth in the series, is in continuation of the bank’s efforts to boost export trade, assist the government in its ongoing drive to diversify the Nigerian economy and help customers and other potential exporters tap into the numerous benefits associated with the business through sensitisation and capacity enhancement.

    It will also provide an opportunity to further showcase the federal government’s policy on export trade, the challenges and the various initiatives developed by the bank, such as pre and post shipment financing and market information strategy to support export of agro commodities, solid minerals and others in the country. These are in line with FCMB’s values as a simple, reliable and helpful financial institution.

    The Executive Director/Chief Executive of the NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo, top officials of other parastatals and regulatory bodies supporting export initiatives in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy as well as customers of the bank will be in attendance.

    Commenting on the customer forum, FCMB’s Executive Director, Business Development, Adam Nuru said: “This is another way we want to demonstrate our willingness to go the extra mile towards contributing to the growth of our customers’ businesses by equipping them with the relevant information and other support”.

    Continuing, he said the lender recognises the importance of export trade and the need to diversify the nation’s economy to non-oil exports, considering the huge resources available in this area. “As an inclusive lender, we create opportunities and support initiatives that enhance the well-being of the country and our target market. We are excited therefore, to organise this forum which will also provide a platform to engage customers and key stakeholders in export trade business in an impactful way,’’ he said.

    FCMB has over the years, organised series of customer fora which were positively received and attended. The first edition focused on the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) scheme introduced by the Nigerian Customs Service to fast-track the clearance of cargo and reduce costs of business at the nation’s ports. The second and third editions, held in Aba (in Abia state) and Lagos, respectively centred on promoting export trade.

  • NEPC rues EU’s ban on beans

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has bemoaned the ban by the European Union (EU) on the exportation of Nigerian beans.

    NEPC said the ban, announced early this year, has been extended to 2020, adding that the discovery of high residue of preservative chemicals led to the ban.

    Director, Export Office, NEPC, Matthew Iranloye said this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a two day workshop/demonstration of agricultural produce’s drying equipment for improvement, preservation and export competiveness.

    Iranloye said, “The time it got to the market was not the time it was supposed to get to the market. By the time it got to the market, the residue was so high that it was not good for human consumption. That one has been consistent and that was what led to the ban.

    “It has been extended for three years. It was supposed to be lifted in 2017 but they look at what is still on ground and said it does not seem that Nigeria is getting it right. We have to redouble our efforts. The next three years, it is still banned but it can still be lifted before the end of that time being 2020. If they see that we have commitment and what we will not come upon.

    “It is a big market for Nigerian food. Out of about five black in the Diaspora, about three of them are Nigerians. That means that if we cannot get the supply of those items that they crave for Nigeria, we are then assist other African economy.”

    He added that NEPC is championing inter-ministerial committee that is working on the quality issues in all its ramifications to see to it that we get it right and consistently do.

    A consultant to NEPC and resource person at the workshop, Olumuyiwa Aiyegbusi put the country’s post-harvest losses at the region of N1 trillion in Nigeria.

    Aiyegusi, who is the chairman, Olu Olu Group, said, “it is a major loss for us. Between production and the market, we are losing 25 to 30 percent of what we produce, that is not good enough.

    “It will not give us food security and we cannot export. What we can do to prevent this ugly trend is a wholistic approach by preserving and removing water in a conditioned storage. Produce like tomatoes, orange, paw-paw, etc .

    “You can also do the same by removing water from mangoes or pineapple. In other words most of our produce can be preserved by removing water and can be reconstituted when you need it.”

  • NEPC eyes $30b from non-oil exports

    NEPC eyes $30b from non-oil exports

    • Farmers advised to embrace mushroom farming

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has  said its Zero Oil Plan has the potential to increase earnings from non-oil sector to $30billion over the next five years.

    Its Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Olusegun Awolowo who spoke during a visit to the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh in Abuja, said the plan has identified 11 strategic products and sectors in other countries for Nigerian goods. He said if the plan is adhered to, the non-oil sector would possibly move from $2.7 billion  it currently is to $30 billion.

    He said: “More recently, we have developed the Zero Oil Plan, in response to this administration’s charge that Nigeria must begin to look for new drivers of the economy.

    “The plan is Nigeria’s strategic effort to build an economy that does not need oil to survive and can serve as a major flagship economic programme for the country.”

    Meanwhile, the Council has advised Nigerians to embrace mushroom farming to boost the foreign exchange  earnings of the country.

    Speaking during a one day export workshop on mushroom development for export for growers in Osun State, the Trade Promotion Advisor at NEPC, Akure Office, Mr. Moruf Salami, said mushroom farming would promote the economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government and also boost food production.

    He said:“The NEPC is organising this workshop to enlighten our business community on the rudiments of export trade for economic growth. Nigerians need to tap into the multimillion dollar mushroom business, there is a huge money in this business and Nigerians should explore the opportunities.

    “The importance of non-oil sector to our national economy and its pivotal role in industrialisation especially in this period of dwindling oil revenue cannot be downplayed. The intention of this workshop is primarily to expose the farmers to modern ways of cultivating mushrooms to meet international standards thereby bringing out the distinct features of export business as opposed to domestic trade.

    “Instead of depending on the old method of picking mushrooms from the wild, farmer could grow it even in the cities and make money from using technology to plant the crop.”

    The Director of African Centre for Mushroom Research and Technological Innovations, Prof. John Okhuoya, said mushroom was in demand in the United States, Europe and Asia because of its health benefits.

    He explained that African  mushroom is sought after because it is being used to produce drugs, adding that it was being recommended for the treatment of ailments such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension and others.

    Also, the Regional Coordinator of NEPC, Mr. Babatunde Faleke, who noted that mushroom consumption had taken a global perspective, said that the crop could change the financial fortune of the growers.

  • NEPC unveils framework to aid women in export

    NEPC unveils framework to aid women in export

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is working out modalities to include women in export activities that will bridge the gender gap and reduce poverty.

    The move is anchored on the belief that improving the performance of women businesses in non-oil export trade can translate into more jobs and also drive poverty reduction.

    NEPC Executive Director/CEO Mr. Olusegun Awolowo made this known on the sideline of the yearly conference of the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA) Business Women Group held in Lagos, recently.

    He said $28 trillion could be added to the global economy by 2025 if women participated in the economy on equal footing with men.

    Awolowo said: “Countries with greater economic opportunities for women score higher on competitiveness and national income. Companies with greater gender diversity outperform others on probability and market valuation. A woman spends up to 90 per cent of her income on her family compared to 40-50 per cent by men.”

    He, however, regretted that there were many impediments on the way of women making progress though Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) where they are mostly engaged, making up over 95 per cent of global businesses.

    Awolowo said opportunities are still not the same for men and women, as they are 20 per cent less likely than men to have a bank account. ”Women have more business skills gaps and are more often excluded from the economy. Only one in five exporting firms is led by women,” he said.

    He further said the nation ranked 86 of 102 countries on gender inequality index, adding that NEPC would work towards building the capacity of women in business by bridging the skills gaps and embarking on hand-holding to ensure the businesses did not die as soon as they were initiated.

  • Nigeria lost $30bn oil revenue in 2015 – Awolowo

    Nigeria lost $30 billion in oil revenue between 2014 and 2015, the Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Olusegun Awolowo, has said.

    He stated this in Abuja at the batch 3 graduation ceremony of 38 Zero to Export Capacity Building Programme beneficiaries.

    He said: “There is no doubt that the essence of our gathering today underscores the crucial role that non-oil export sector is expected to play in the present administration’s effort at diversifying the Nigerian economy away from over reliance on oil as its mainstay, especially now that the continuous fall in price of oil has thrown the world in recession.

    “Recent developments on global market have triggered a wake-up call on the need for us to accelerate the diversification of our economy, moving away from over dependence on oil as our main source of revenue.

    “Since reaching a peak in June 2014, the price of crude oil has fallen roughly by 60 per cent.Nigeria lost $30bn in oil revenue between 2014 and 2015.

    “NEPC will continue to encourage Nigerians to take advantage of the diversification process of the federal government through the promotion of non- oil export activities.”

    Awolowo said the NEPC would continue to create opportunities for Nigerians to imbibe the culture of exportation through capacity building and training programmes.

  • NEPC, ITC empower women for global export trade

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council in partnership with the    International Trade Centre (ITC) is set to empower women for global trade by connecting one million women to global market by 2020.

    The Executive Director/CEO of NEPC,  Olusegun Awolowo, who stated  this  at a press briefing in Abuja, said the lTC SheTrade initiative  programme is to support women and at the same time use trade as a channel for economic empowerment for Nigerian women.

    He said the initiative is a strategic collaboration towards achieving a Zero Oil Growth through Women Inclusiveness in global export trade.

    “Gender equality and the empowerment of women is a prerequisite in achieving the Global Development Goals (GDG) in Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and at the same time advancing women’s equality as this could add $28 trillion to global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025.

    Awolowo said the initiative would enable economies unlock their full potential which is in line with the NEPC Women in Export Programme (WEP).

    H e said The NEPC’s WEP represents the most comprehensive and coordinated approach in taking  specific measures and targeted policies to ensure the mobilization, inclusion and full participation of rural women and women-owned businesses into mainstream development process particularly in non-oil export trade.”

  • Value addition, organic farming’ll boost non-oil products, says NEPC

    Value addition, organic farming’ll boost non-oil products, says NEPC

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said value addition and organic farming are possible strategies that can boost non-oil products export.

    NEPC’s Trade Promotion Advisor and Export Assistant in Benin Mr. Macpherson Fred-Ileogben, who made this known in Benin, the Edo State capital, said the strategies were necessary to enable exporters know how to make their products acceptable in foreign markets and earn more value for them.

    He said the government was looking at diversifying resource generation from oil to non-oil products. “The government is also promoting the exportation of non-oil products because it is a way to boost foreign exchange earnings, conserve the foreign reserve and create jobs,” he stated.

    Fred-Ileogben advised exporters and would-be ones to key into this policy and generate more foreign exchange for the country and strengthen the valve of the naira. He said value chain addition was, therefore, imperative to making non-oil exports more competitive and acceptable in the international market.

    “On the average, our products are up to standard, but we have to do more so that they can compete well at the international market. The country needs to do more in the aspect of infrastructure, such as improving power, processing facilities, access roads and rail transportation to ease conversion of raw materials into semi-finished or finished goods for exportation,” the NEPC trade advisor said.

    According to him, most semi-finished or finished products attract more value at the international market than products in their raw forms. “If you are taking anything outside the country, we expect that the standard and packaging should be acceptable abroad. If the standard is good, it will earn you good value for your product, but if otherwise, it could be rejected,” he pointed out.

    While adding that worse still, the exporter will bear the cost of returning it back to the country, Fred-Ileogben advised farmers to adopt the emerging international trend in organic farming. This, according to him, involves concentrating more on the use of organic materials, such as farm manures, crop rotation and planting on the right soil and at the right time.

    His words: “We are encouraging farmers to shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming for purposes of exportation. As they do so, they should also do more of organic farming as the prolonged use of inorganic fertilisers has adverse health effects on both the plants and humans.”

    The NEPC trade advisor, however, noted that the major challenges confronting small and medium scale exporters in some parts of the country were the lack of access to finance and lack of access to international market.

  • Organic farming can boost export of non-oil products, says NEPC

    Organic farming can boost export of non-oil products, says NEPC

    An official of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Macpherson Fred-Ileogben, has said value addition and organic farming are possible strategies that can boost the export of non-oil products.

    Fred-Ileogben, who is NEPC’s Trade Promotion Advisor and Export Assistant in Benin, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin, yesterday.

    He said these strategies were “necessary to enable Nigerian exporters know how to make their products acceptable in the foreign markets and earn more value for them”.

    According to him, the government is looking at diversifying the country’s resource generation from oil to non-oil products.

    “The government is also promoting the exportation of non-oil products because it is a way to boost foreign exchange earnings, conserve foreign reserve and create jobs.

    “So, exporters and would-be exporters should key into this policy and generate more foreign exchange for the country and in the same vein strengthen the valve of the naira,” he explained.

    The NEPC trade advisor said value chain addition was, therefore, imperative to making Nigeria’s non-oil exports more competitive and acceptable in the international market.

    “On the average, our products are up to standard but we have to do more so that they can compete well at the international market.

    “The country needs to do more in the aspect of infrastructure, such as improving power, processing facilities, access roads and rail transportation to ease conversion of raw materials into semi-finished or finished goods for exportation.

    “This is because most semi-finished or finished products attract more value at the international market than products in their raw forms.

    “If you are taking anything outside the country, we expect that the standard and packaging should be acceptable abroad.

    “If the standard is good, it will earn you good value for your product but if otherwise, it could be rejected. And worse still, the exporter will bear the cost of returning it back to the country,” he said.

    He advised farmers to adopt the emerging international trend in organic farming.

    According to him, this involves more concentration on the use of organic materials, such as manures, crop rotation and planting on the right soil and at the right time.

    “We are encouraging farmers to shift from subsistence farming to commercial farming for purposes of exportation.

    “As they do so, they should also do more of organic farming as the prolong use of inorganic fertilisers has adverse health effects on plants and humans “, he said.

    He, however, noted that the major challenges confronting small and medium scale exporters in some parts of the country were lack of access to finance and the international market.

  • Nearly half of exporters are dormant, says NEPC

    Nearly half of Nigerian exporters are inactive, according to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

    Established in 1976, the NEPC is charged with the promotion of non-oil exports. Non-oil exporters are required to register with the NEPC, which maintains a list of such registered exporters. It tracks exporters and their activities.

    The Export Directories of the NEPC, which contain the lists of registered exporters and performing exporters, show that while there are 1,040 registered exporters in Nigeria, only 529, about 50.9 per cent, are active.

    A source, however, said there exists a large informal export market as several exporters usually bypass the formal channels to conceal their transactions from the government.

    “A lot of people have been exporting with their NXP-Nigeria export proceeds, processed through the bank to conceal their transactions from government and sell the foreign exchange (forex) in the parallel market in order to make more profit,” the source stated.

    Registration with the NEPC costs between N7, 500 and N36, 000, depending on the type and process of registration. Registering with the NEPC allows the agency to confirm the status of an exporter on any enquiry, refer exporters to buyers on inquiries and facilitate global partnerships.

    The “list of performing exporters” contains some 1,000 registered products for exports. Several agricultural products featured prominently on the list, including cocoa, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, Shea nut, cotton, rubber, palm oil kernel, processed woods, ginger, green coffee beans, yam, hibiscus flowers, gum Arabic and cassava, among others.

    However, the list indicated that several Nigeria’s top-notch companies might be engaging in the export of other products besides their known branded products. For instance, Nigerian Breweries registered for exportation of roofing sheets in addition to exportation of its known beer and non alcoholic products such as Maltina, Star and Gulder. Oando has processed wood in addition to its known lubricant and lube products.

    Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria Plc, which produces the popular “peak” milk brand, also registered to export yam tubers and yam flour. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria has another export line of finished leathers in addition to its healthcare products.

    Johnson Wax Nigeria Limited, a producer of insecticides, registered for exportation of charcoal. Literamed Publications, publishers of Lantern books, has processed goat skin as its additional export line.

    May & Baker Nigeria, which produces Mimee Noodles, registered to export rubber while in addition to its foam products, Vitafoam Nigeria also registered for exportation of cashew nuts.

     

     

  • NEPC introduces ‘one state, one product’ project

    NEPC introduces ‘one state, one product’ project

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) yesterday took the campaign of its new project, ‘One State, One Product’,to  the Southwest states.

    Its Executive Director,  Segun Awolowo  presented it to representatives of the six states in Southwest of Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Ekiti and Osun in Ibadan yesterday.

    Addressing a team of technocrats driving export in the various states at a parley, Awolowo said the project was aimed at stirring each of the 36 states in the country to focus energy and resources on the developing of at least one product in which it has comparative advantage, and which it could fully develop for export.

    The forum, which was facilitated by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, was held  at Cocoa House, the headquarters of the commission.

    According to him, the project was designed to help accomplish the ‘Zero Oil’ agenda of the Federal Government, a concept designed to develop the country’s non-oil sector to boost export and ultimately, the nation’s economy.

    Considering the falling prices of oil and the many challenges facing oil resources, Mr Awolowo insisted  that the time was right for each federating unit to leverage on its strength to bring out products that could add to Nigeria’s export portfolio.

    He said: “Let each state come up with the minimum of one unique product, and let it be driven like a serious project. For Southwest states, it can be cassava, cocoa, cashew or any other farm produce that is able to meet export needs of the country.”

    He recalled that Cocoa House was built with proceeds from cocoa, pointing out that Nigerians must begin to think as if oil did not exist at all.

    Awolowo added that cocoa is still the number one non-oil export product for the country, stressing that the new cocoa revolution needed to be embraced and strengthened across the region.

    He also called for the resuscitation of committees on export in each state to give more attention to export.