The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NEPC

  • ‘Low awareness inhibits women entrepreneurs’ growth’

    ‘Low awareness inhibits women entrepreneurs’ growth’

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said the capacity of women entrepreneurs’ interested in export business has been inhibited because they have failed to take advantage of the export awareness its programme.

    Its Head of Trade Information Uyo Zonal Office, Mr. Emmanuel Matthew, who spoke at a one-day Export Enlightenment Programme in Uyo, Akwa State capital, lamented that in spite of the strategic role women play in galvanising local economies and the numerical strength of their  involvement in small and medium businesses, only a few of them have been able to take their businesses beyond informal level.

    He spoke on Unlocking export opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State.

    He said: “It is saddening that despite the vast business opportunities opened to women entrepreneurs in the state, only a negligible percentage of them have been able to raise their business above the bar within the national and international perspectives.’’

    He enjoined women to get adequate knowledge of the export business matrix as well as apply appropriate strategies if they are to be successful in export businesses.

    He said the workshop is intended to build women entrepreneurs’ capacity in becoming key global business players through export of products that women have comparative advantage as well as connect them to international network to create export business opportunities.

    Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Glory Edet, represented by a Director in the Ministry, Mrs Edima B. Ndaobong, had in her keynote address, lauded the contributions of women to the economic development of the country.

    However she said women’s contributions to gross domestic product (GDP) has remained insignificant over the years because such contribution is not usually seen or quantified because it is not paid for.

    She described the theme of the workshop as very appropriate, adding that it would unlock all the gates and showcase their potentials in the State.

    The state Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and industries, Emmanuel Enoidem, who was represented by the Director of Commerce, Mr. N. E. Ettang while declaring the workshop open, described women as engine of growth and drivers of the economy of the country.

  • NEPC chief Awolowo seeks exportation of services

    NEPC chief Awolowo seeks exportation of services

    The Executive Secretary, CEO, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo has stressed the need for the diversification of import into the service sector including professional services.

    Awolowo spoke at an interactive meeting on the review of the implementation of the National Strategy for the export of professional services in Nigeria, He said by 2050, 80 per cent of the workforce worldwide would be working in the service sector.

    He said, “Trade in services has grown annually in importance in the world economy. The global services’ share of world GDP grew from 53 per cent to 68 per cent between 1971 – 2004, with the contribution of services trade to global GDP currently to be about 70 per cent.

    “According to the World Trade Organisation, the services sector is the most rapidly growing segment of the world economy. Services represent 66 per cent of world production, 66 per cent of world employment, nearly 50 per cent of world trade on value added basis and 60 per cent of foreign direct investment.”

    The services sector, the NEPC boss maintained, has witnessed rapid expansion over the years and growing importance across African countries.

    “The size and importance of services to the global economy is illustrated in the value of some services’ sectors such as education, with an estimated value of $30 billion in 2004, medical tourism $20billion which is doubled in 2010. Between 2012 – 2013, the services’ sector contributed 60 per cent to India’s GDP while it accounted for 70 per cent of New-Zealand’s GDP which was worth $150 billion. “

    Expatiating, he said: “Specifically, the global BPO/ITO industry (a sub-sector of the services’ sector) is estimated to be worth $120-150. Within this category, offshore BPO/ITO, i.e. outsourcing where the client and the vendor are located in different countries, is estimated to be some $11.4 billion.”

    He added that the NEPC formulated a strategy to develop the export of professional services in Nigeria. The overreaching goal of the strategy was to contribute to the country’s long term objective to create wealth, employment generation and reduce poverty as enshrined in Nigeria’s National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy.

  • NEPC boss sees enormous potential in Nigeria’s services sub-sector

    Nigeria has substantial potential in non-oil export, especially in the services sub-sector, the Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, has said.

    Awolowo made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday during an interactive meeting on the review of the implementation of the National Strategy for the export of professional services in Nigeria.

    He said the service sector was the second largest contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “Nigeria has huge potential in export of services, such as in the creative industry (Nollywood and music), financial services, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) among others,” he said

    According to the NEPC boss, Nigeria is a leading exporter of banking services in West Africa with a strong financial services sector. He said, for instance, that 11 Nigerian banks have established subsidiaries abroad in over 20 sub-Saharan countries; nine out of 11 also have branches in four continents outside of Africa.

    Awolowo however, said one of the major challenges for companies in the services sector was access to information about opportunities in and requirements of foreign markets. He said to overcome the challenges, the council would collaborate with the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the Trade in Services Programme (TSP).

    He noted that this would enable Nigerian companies take advantage of ITC’s interventions in the Business Process Outsourcing and Information Technology sub-sectors..

    “As you are all aware, in 2009, the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council formulated a strategy to develop the export of professional services in Nigeria.

    “The overreaching goal of the strategy was to contribute to the country’s long- term objective to create wealth, generate employment and reduce poverty as enshrined in Nigeria’s National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy.’’ he said.

  • NEPC seeks alternative revenue sources

    NEPC seeks alternative revenue sources

    The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is set to reduce overdependence on global oil market.

    Its Executive Director/ CEO, Segun Awolowo, said the falling price of oil has reduced government revenue, leading to pronounced negative effect on the economy.

    Awolowo, represented by his Technical Advisor, Maureen Ideozu, during a facility tour of some companies in Lagos, said the Council was determined to promote products outside the shores of Nigeria.

    “The Ministry of Industry, Trade and investment in a bid to ensure total diversification has articulated the industrialisation roadmap of the Nation in the Nigerians Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP.”

    Pressed further, Awolowo said: “At a time like this when the country is facing the challenges of dwindling foreign exchange earnings, and depleting foreign reserves, there is need for concerted effort to develop our numerous commodities with a view to diversify our economy.

    “Export is one of our strategic efforts to enhance our communication with stakeholders and the general public.”

    One of the beneficiaries of NEPC, Mrs. Morin Obaweya, Creative Director, You.Leather.Artistry, said NEPC has been of immense help to her company, as she strives hard to meet international products. The council assist her in promoting her products in foreign countries through exhibition and trips were made in Nigerian products are needed.

  • NEPC, NCAC seek craft devt centres

    NEPC, NCAC seek craft devt centres

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC) have advocated for the establishment of Craft Development and Skills Acquisition Centres across the country. This, according to them, will attract significant patronage of Nigeria’s Arts and Crafts in the international market.

    Speaking in Abuja while receiving the Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs. Dayo Keshi, NEPC  Executive Director/Chief executive Officer (CEO), Mr Olusegun Awolowo pointed out that if Nigeria was to create global brands like the Chinese did with their cuisine and Americans with the film industry, efforts should be geared towards establishing designated Nigerian Heritage Cities to promote Nigerian products and cuisine in countries where Nigeria boost of huge population.

    “Given the huge population of Nigerians in some major cities like Johannesburg in South Africa, London, Atlanta Georgia and Houston Texas in the United States, the Council intends to promote the creation of Nigerian Towns in these cities to facilitate the export of local products and foods by Nigerian entrepreneurs,” he said.

    Responding, Mrs. Keshi said to showcase the value of Nigeria’s creative and cultural industry, NCAC was willing to partner with the NEPC to promote the nation’s potentials beyond its shores.

    She said: “We as stakeholders should look at the possibility of exporting our local content particularly in the creative industry. We should develop and promote events like the Osun Osogbo, Durbar in Kano or Boat Regatta festival in any chosen location to attract tourists.”

    She, however, said for these festivals to attract significant participation by foreigners it should be streamlined by way of creating fixed event dates in a year and the establishment of Special Arts Malls in Lagos, Kano and Abuja to enable proper planning and participation by tourists.

    Mrs. Keshi said the aim of her visit to NEPC was to invite Mr. Awolowo as Guest Speaker at NCAC’s 40th Anniversary as an agency of government for promoting arts and culture.

  • NEPC, NCAC seek craft devt centres

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC) have advocated for the establishment of Craft Development and Skills Acquisition Centres across the country. This, according to them, will attract significant patronage of Nigeria’s Arts and Crafts in the international market.

    Speaking in Abuja while receiving the Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs. Dayo Keshi, NEPC  Executive Director/Chief executive Officer (CEO), Mr Olusegun Awolowo pointed out that if Nigeria was to create global brands like the Chinese did with their cuisine and Americans with the film industry, efforts should be geared towards establishing designated Nigerian Heritage Cities to promote Nigerian products and cuisine in countries where Nigeria boost of huge population.

    “Given the huge population of Nigerians in some major cities like Johannesburg in South Africa, London, Atlanta Georgia and Houston Texas in the United States, the Council intends to promote the creation of Nigerian Towns in these cities to facilitate the export of local products and foods by Nigerian entrepreneurs,” he said.

    Responding, Mrs. Keshi said to showcase the value of Nigeria’s creative and cultural industry, NCAC was willing to partner with the NEPC to promote the nation’s potentials beyond its shores.

    She said: “We as stakeholders should look at the possibility of exporting our local content particularly in the creative industry. We should develop and promote events like the Osun Osogbo, Durbar in Kano or Boat Regatta festival in any chosen location to attract tourists.”

    She, however, said for these festivals to attract significant participation by foreigners it should be streamlined by way of creating fixed event dates in a year and the establishment of Special Arts Malls in Lagos, Kano and Abuja to enable proper planning and participation by tourists.

    Mrs. Keshi said the aim of her visit to NEPC was to invite Mr. Awolowo as Guest Speaker at NCAC’s 40th Anniversary as an agency of government for promoting arts and culture.

  • NEPC moves to stop rejection of Nigeria’s exports

    NEPC moves to stop rejection of Nigeria’s exports

    The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is putting measures in place to ensure that goods produced in the country for export are not rejected any more.

    Its Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun Awolowo who spoke during the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce in Abuja, said the council is appealing to exporters to go through the proper channel so that their products could have proper registration to avoid rejection.

    He said: “Most products are rejected not because they don’t meet specifications, but maybe the paper work are not done correctly, or the channel of export was wrong.

    “NEPC has identified13 strategic export products, agro-industrial products, palm oil, cashew, sugar and rice.

    “Others are: mining and allied, iron ore, metals, aluminium and auto parts, cars. oil and gas industrial products, petroleum products, fertiliser, urea, petrol chemicals and methanol.

    “The cement sector is a complete success story, from being the largest importer to the largest exporter of cement. That is what the council is presently working on, so that all the mineral resources can be as successful as the cement sector.”

  • NEPC proposes OSOP for economic growth

    The non-oil export sector of  the economy can revive the Nigeria’s economy if adequately explored, even as we continue to witness the free fall of revenue from oil resources caused by the glut in global prices.

    Executive Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Mr. Olusegun Awolowo  spoke  at a two-day integrated workshop on Techniques of Non-oil Export Project Formulation and Implementation for State Committees on Export Promotion (SCEP) in Kaduna.

    The CEO said: “Nigeria has the potential to be among the first top 10 net exporters of agricultural commodities given its abundant human and natural resources – spread across the length and breadth of this country.”

    Awolowo, who was represented by Mr Olajide Ibrahim, a Director in the Office of the CEO, said that though Nigeria is presently the world’s largest producer of seven agricultural export commodities, the position does not reflect in the global trade stage, implying that the country is deprived of requisite world market share from these products.

    He added that the council in its avowed effort to make the non-oil export sector a commanding contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would deploy its capacity, expertise and reach to promote the diversification of the economy, in line with government’s economic agenda.

    Nevertheless, the chief executive explained that the current situation did not meet the council unprepared, as key strategies have been mapped out for diversifying the economy.

    For instance, NEPC is currently advocating the development of One-State-One-Product (OSOP) – an initiative geared at establishing one non-oil export product per state as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The OSOP takes into cognisance the products where states have comparative and competitive advantage in terms of production and commercialisation, as the focus for development and promotion for exports.

    Throwing more light, Mr Ibrahim said the Kaduna forum for state committees on Export Promotion, planned for the Northwest, Northeast and Northcentral States was a follow-up to an earlier one held in Lagos in April 2015.

    SCEPs are a creation from the NEPC enabling Act, which made provision for the establishment of the committees in 36 states of the Federation and Abuja – with the primary aim of assisting in the promotion of non-oil exports at the grassroots.

    On the slight decrease in Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings between the 2013 and 2014 figure (about nine per cent decrease), Ibrahim said the decrease came as a result of challenges from inadequate infrastructure, crisis in World oil prices, insurgency and few other known unfavourable economic indices.

    But he advised on the imperative to have a strong synergy and commitment between the public-private Sector and other relevant stakeholders for the non-oil export sector to achieve and attain its desirable heights.

    Over 70 participants comprising  Permanent Secretaries of states’ Ministry of Trade and Commerce, directors of the Ministries, representatives of City Chambers of Commerce, leaderships of Organised Private Sectors and Commodity bodies such as  All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) attended the workshop.

    Participants promised to collaborate with NEPC to realise the potentials of the non-oil export sector and ensure an increase in foreign exchange earnings apart from job creation and poverty alleviation.

  • How NEPC, SURE-P, OPS boost employment

    How NEPC, SURE-P, OPS boost employment

    A tripartite partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), a component of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and the organised private sector has helped alleviate the unemployment crisis in the country in no small measure, reports Assistant Editor, Nduka Chiejina

    THE Nigerian Export Promotion Council in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance recently organised a stakeholders’ interactive forum on Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), a component of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), with the theme: ‘Integrating GIS in Non-oil Export Development.’

    The forum was organised to sensitise export sector stakeholders on the benefits of participating in the SURE-P Graduate Internship Scheme.

    The forum was conceived to mobilise export-oriented firms to participate in the GIS as a means of building capacity of interns to be engaged in setting up and managing export-oriented businesses; open up opportunities for job creation in the non-oil sector, especially export business; sensitise stakeholders on the NEPC’s Youth Empowerment Export Skills Acquisition Programme (YEESAP); revitalise the non-oil sector of the economy towards increasing its contribution to GDP growth and provide greater non-oil export job opportunities, focusing on youths as the bedrock of a sustainable national economic development and ensure that the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) scheme, as a fiscal tool, is also used for implementing government economic policies aimed at ensuring capacity building and creating enabling environment for employment generation.

    The speakers were happy with the idea of the partnership between the Nigeria Export Promotion Council and the Federal Ministry of Finance’ Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) and they viewed the integration of internship into the export business as a platform for producing future managers and professionals for the non oil export sector.

    The resolutions reached by the participants commended the federal government for introducing SURE-P and especially the Graduate Internship Scheme, which was viewed as an important intervention in the life of unemployed graduates.

    YEESAP was also commended as a well-thought out project and participants agreed that the interns should be trained on export skills before being deployed to the organisations in order to enable them contribute meaningfully to the participating organisations.

    Challenges

    It has been alleged that some firms and interns were engaged under fraudulent circumstances, with several cases cited in Ondo and Osun states. These cases have been investigated and culprits – both firms and interns – were said to be expunged from the scheme. Monitoring has also been strengthened in all states. In order to address the problem of delayed uptake of graduates by firms, internship firms have been identified and organised in all states to facilitate swift selection/matching and documentation of graduates.

    The Executive Director of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Olusegun Awolowo, expressed happiness with the partnership formed between NEPC and the GIS.

    In his words, the NEPC boss stated that “this is a clear effort at encouraging government to government partnership and by extension public private partnership (PPP) as well.

    “The NEPC-GIS partnership is an attempt by our two organisations to work together towards discharging our statutory responsibilities as well as achieving some of the targets set out by federal government in the Transformation Agenda in the areas of reducing unemployment, skills acquisition, capacity building and creating pool of trained graduates, capable of adding value to participating employers.”

    Speaking in similar tone, the Project Director, GIS, Mr. Peter Papka, stated that “Graduate Internship Scheme, which is one of the interventions of SURE-P, is a platform that provides young graduates with a one-year temporary work experience to make them stronger candidates for job openings in the labour market as well as boosting their chances of being self employed.”

    According to Papka, “among the objectives of the scheme is the resolve to enhance the employability of at least 50,000 unemployed graduates in the 36 states of the federation and in the FCT by improving their skills through work placement.”

    He emphasised that the “graduate internship scheme is providing a platform for the reduction of vulnerability among unemployed Nigerian graduates. Internship from our experience provides soft landing for many such graduates in finding direction for their lives either through jobs or entrepreneurship. It is our hope that this scheme will be sustained as a veritable bridge between school and the job market, so that Nigerian graduates would disrobe the toga of despondence on completion of national service.”

    Mr. Peter Papka noted that different partnering firms around the country indicated that many graduates were willing to excel, while utilising the GIS to do so. The firms, he added, were also utilising the scheme to determine prospective candidates for their employment, without having to search wide.

    To engender more interest in the GIS/NEPC partnership, Papka said government was planning to “review conditions of service for the interns, especially by increasing their monthly stipend and provision of insurance cover has also endeared serving interns to work harder, and other graduates to register; while also stirring interest of more firms/organisations or firms have come to appreciate not just the benefits derivable, but the national implication of their participation, that is why they play their roles by opening their doors to mentor these graduates for 12 months. We have partners among multinational corporations, financial institutions and SMEs, NGOs and government institutions.”

    Special partners

    Partnership has been established with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to integrate GIS into the export trade with a view to encourage and train graduates to key in and participate in government’s divestment into the non-oil sector. The objective of NEPC’s Youth Empowerment Export Skills Acquisition Programme (YEESAP) is to train 500 graduates on export trade, while the outcome expected is that they will be export-ready after internship. YEESAP has been established to achieve this and over 3000 graduates are to be engaged at the first instance.

    Emerging trends

    There are already several lessons emerging from the GIS which are reaffirming the objectives of its establishment and others which would guide future direction of the educational curricula.  One of the key results emerging from the scheme is the high rate of retention of interns by their employers. Many interns have also found employment with other organisations as a result of the skills they have acquired and improved personality they have developed during internship.

    Besides, GIS is gradually emerging as the bridge between educational institutions and the labour market, providing a pool of skilled, trained, experienced and work-ready graduates for firms to select without having to go through a formal, costly process of recruitment.

    To analysts, there is need to take a look at school curricula at all levels and introduce mandatory courses of entrepreneurship, thus preparing school leavers at all levels with a capacity to start and run their own businesses and not seeking employment.

    This is even as more Nigerians are calling for the institutionalisation of the scheme beyond 2015, so that results are sustained and expanded to cater for more graduates and firms. There are also calls for academic reviews of the opportunities that GIS can create for national development in the execution of its mandate.

    Registered graduates who may never benefit from matching to firms are being targeted for an online employability training in order to avail them an opportunity to develop skills through online modules, which are to be developed in collaboration with and certificated by sector professional bodies.

    Nigerians are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of internship in the life of graduates, especially those that are unemployed, in terms of the value they can add during this waiting period as well as the benefits and skills they will develop. Katsina has shown more appreciation to GIS and commitment by establishing its own version of GIS, deploying 600 graduates for a year and paying them N30,000, just like GIS.

    There is a clear need for synergy between all tiers of government in a programme like this for optimisation of benefits and for greater impact. States and local governments are therefore urged to key into such initiative as demonstrated by Katsina State.

    The prospect for this graduate internship is huge. However, there is need for improvement in business environment for the private sectors, who invariably are the greater employers of labour.

    Young graduates are becoming more interested in setting up cooperatives to raise capital and build partnerships, and are thinking more of building their own businesses rather than rely on white collar jobs.

  • How NEPC, SURE-P, OPS boost employment

    How NEPC, SURE-P, OPS boost employment

    A tripartite partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), a component of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and the organised private sector has helped alleviate the unemployment crisis in the country in no small measure, reports Assistant Editor, Nduka Chiejina

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance recently organised a stakeholders’ interactive forum on Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), a component of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), with the theme: ‘Integrating GIS in Non-oil Export Development.’

    The forum was organised to sensitise export sector stakeholders on the benefits of participating in the SURE-P Graduate Internship Scheme.

    The forum was conceived to mobilise export-oriented firms to participate in the GIS as a means of building capacity of interns to be engaged in setting up and managing export-oriented businesses; open up opportunities for job creation in the non-oil sector, especially export business; sensitise stakeholders on the NEPC’s Youth Empowerment Export Skills Acquisition Programme (YEESAP); revitalise the non-oil sector of the economy towards increasing its contribution to GDP growth and provide greater non-oil export job opportunities, focusing on youths as the bedrock of a sustainable national economic development and ensure that the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) scheme, as a fiscal tool, is also used for implementing government economic policies aimed at ensuring capacity building and creating enabling environment for employment generation.

    The speakers were happy with the idea of the partnership between the Nigeria Export Promotion Council and the Federal Ministry of Finance’ Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) and they viewed the integration of internship into the export business as a platform for producing future managers and professionals for the non oil export sector.

    The resolutions reached by the participants commended the federal government for introducing SURE-P and especially the Graduate Internship Scheme, which was viewed as an important intervention in the life of unemployed graduates.

    YEESAP was also commended as a well-thought out project and participants agreed that the interns should be trained on export skills before being deployed to the organisations in order to enable them contribute meaningfully to the participating organisations.

    Challenges

    It has been alleged that some firms and interns were engaged under fraudulent circumstances, with several cases cited in Ondo and Osun states. These cases have been investigated and culprits – both firms and interns – were said to be expunged from the scheme. Monitoring has also been strengthened in all states. In order to address the problem of delayed uptake of graduates by firms, internship firms have been identified and organised in all states to facilitate swift selection/matching and documentation of graduates.

    The Executive Director of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Olusegun Awolowo, expressed happiness with the partnership formed between NEPC and the GIS.

    In his words, the NEPC boss stated that: “this is a clear effort at encouraging government to government partnership and by extension public private partnership (PPP) as well.

    “The NEPC-GIS partnership is an attempt by our two organisations to work together towards discharging our statutory responsibilities as well as achieving some of the targets set out by federal government in the Transformation Agenda in the areas of reducing unemployment, skills acquisition, capacity building and creating pool of trained graduates, capable of adding value to participating employers.”

    Speaking in similar tones, the Project Director, GIS, Mr. Peter Papka, stated that “Graduate Internship Scheme, which is one of the interventions of SURE-P, is a platform that provides young graduates with a one-year temporary work experience to make them stronger candidates for job openings in the labour market as well as boosting their chances of being self employed.”

    According to Papka, “among the objectives of the scheme is the resolve to enhance the employability of at least 50,000 unemployed graduates in the 36 states of the federation and in the FCT by improving their skills through work placement.”

    He emphasised that the “graduate internship scheme is providing a platform for the reduction of vulnerability among unemployed Nigerian graduates. Internship from our experience provides soft landing for many such graduates in finding direction for their lives either through jobs or entrepreneurship. It is our hope that this scheme will be sustained as a veritable bridge between school and the job market, so that Nigerian graduates would disrobe the toga of despondence on completion of national service.”

    Mr. Peter Papka noted that different partnering firms around the country indicated that many graduates were willing to excel, while utilising the GIS to do so. The firms, he added, were also utilising the scheme to determine prospective candidates for their employment, without having to search wide.

    To engender more interest in the GIS/NEPC partnership, Papka said government was planning to “review conditions of service for the interns, especially by increasing their monthly stipend and provision of insurance cover has also endeared serving interns to work harder, and other graduates to register; while also stirring interest of more firms/organisations or firms have come to appreciate not just the benefits derivable, but the national implication of their participation, that is why they play their roles by opening their doors to mentor these graduates for 12 months. We have partners among multinational corporations, financial institutions and SMEs, NGOs and government institutions.”

    Special partners

    Partnership has been established with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to integrate GIS into the export trade with a view to encourage and train graduates to key in and participate in government’s divestment into the non-oil sector. The objective of NEPC’s Youth Empowerment Export Skills Acquisition Programme (YEESAP) is to train 500 graduates on export trade, while the outcome expected is that they will be export-ready after internship. YEESAP has been established to achieve this and over 3000 graduates are to be engaged at the first instance.

    Emerging trends

    There are already several lessons emerging from the GIS which are reaffirming the objectives of its establishment and others which would guide future direction of the educational curricula.  One of the key results emerging from the scheme is the high rate of retention of interns by their employers. Many interns have also found employment with other organisations as a result of the skills they have acquired and improved personality they have developed during internship.

    Besides, GIS is gradually emerging as the bridge between educational institutions and the labour market, providing a pool of skilled, trained, experienced and work ready graduates for firms to select without having to go through a formal, costly process of recruitment.

    To analysts, there is need to take a look at school curricula at all levels and introduce mandatory courses of entrepreneurship, thus preparing school leavers at all levels with a capacity to start and run their own businesses and not seeking employment.

    This is even as more Nigerians are calling for the institutionalisation of the scheme beyond 2015, so that results are sustained and expanded to cater for more graduates and firms. There are also calls for academic reviews of the opportunities that GIS can create for national development in the execution of its mandate.

    Registered graduates who may never benefit from matching to firms are being targeted for an online employability training in order to avail them an opportunity to develop skills through online modules, which are to be developed, in collaboration with and certificated by sector professional bodies.

    Nigerians are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of internship in the life of graduates, especially those that are unemployed, in terms of the value they can add during this waiting period as well as the benefits and skills they will develop. Katsina has shown more appreciation to GIS and commitment by establishing its own version of GIS, deploying 600 graduates for a year and paying them N30,000, just like GIS.

    There is a clear need for synergy between all tiers of government in a programme like this for optimisation of benefits and for greater impact. States and local governments are therefore urged to key into such initiative as demonstrated by Katsina State.

    The prospect for this graduate internship is huge. However, there is need for improvement in business environment for the private sectors, who invariably are the greater employers of labour.

    Young graduates are becoming more interested in setting up cooperatives to raise capital and build partnerships, and are thinking more of building their own businesses rather than rely on white collar jobs.