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Tag: NEPC

  • NEPC trains exporters

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has launched the maiden training programme tagged: ‘Zero to Export Project’ for infant exporters.

    Its Chief Executive Officer,  Mr Segun Awolowo, said  the training was timely, coming at a time the prices of oil was dwindling.

    Awolowo, who was represented by Mr. Olajide Ibrahim, a Director in the Council, urged the first set of participants to take the training serious.

    “One of the limiting factors we have in non-oil exports is the dearth of salient information. So we can say that this project is a timely one, which will help youths and graduates, and even retirees to gain the basic knowledge in exporting business,” he said.

    He explained that there is going to be a curriculum for the training project, and also technical sessions where participants can ask questions.

  • 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.

  • ‘NEPC committed to implementation of FG’s export policies’

    The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has restated its commitment to ensuring full implementation of the Federal Government’s export policies and programmes in the country.

    Alhaji Saidu Sada, NEPC Principal Executive Officer in the Kano Zonal Office, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Saturday.

    He said implementing government’s export policies and programmes was necessary in order to promote the non-oil sector of the nation’s economy.

    “Our vision is to make the non- oil export sector a significant contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

    According to him, the implementation of the Federal Government’s export policies and programmes will facilitate export in order to promote sustainable economic development.

    “ We promote the development and diversification of Nigeria’s export trade.

    ‘’We also maintain adequate and effective representation in other countries,’’ Sada said.

    NEPC, he said, would continue to provide technical assistance to local exporters to enhance economic growth and development in the country.

    ‘’We shall continue to provide technical support in areas like export procedure and documentation, transportation financing, marketing techniques, quality control, export packaging, costing and pricing and publicity among other areas,’’ he added.

    He said the council was planning to organise an outward trade mission to boost the country’s export business.

  • NEPC, USAID to boost export goods

    NEPC, USAID to boost export goods

    THE Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is  set to diversify the economy from oil to non-oil, its Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, has said.

    He spoke during a visit to his office in Abuja by the new Chief of Party, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transport (NEXTT), Mr. Marc Shiman.

    Awolowo said the Council was making efforts to access international funds for product development, market research, capacity building for exporters among other technical support that would help enhance the quality of exportable products from Nigeria from development partners like USAID/NEXTT.

    He observed that efforts to diversify the economy would soon yield results as the Federal Government through the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) had identified 13 National Strategic Export Products (NESPs) that would replace oil while it would be supported by two key NEPC initiatives – the One State One Product (OSOP) and Nigerian Diaspora Export Programme (NDEX).

    Awolowo pointed out that the aim of OSOP was to identify and develop in each state, one non-oil product across its value chain for export, adding that the initiative takes cognisance of the country’s comparative advantage in terms of the vastness of its natural endowments.

    On NDEX, he disclosed that the project has two components – the Nigerian Heritage City and the Nigerian Cuisine Beyond Borders.

    According to him, “this programme is to leverage on the large population of Nigerians in Diaspora as a means of introducing the best of Nigeria to their host countries and communities just like China Town in USA”.

    He however pointed out that for exporters to leverage on the huge potentials in the sector there is need for value addition as no nation can survive by merely exporting raw commodities.

    Shiman disclosed that about $3 million special fund tagged – Product Development Fund (PDF) was made available by USAID for operators along the LAKAJI Corridor Development Project to access under specific guidelines and through a transparent process.

    He said the fund would provide support for research, training and capacity building, business process among other technical assistance along the Corridor.

    Shiman explained that the goal is to develop and expand exports as well as attract investments from Nigeria, adding that to ensure a transparent process for accessing the fund NEPC has been nominated as a member of the Committee that would administer the fund.

  • NIPC, NEPC partner on non-oil sector

    The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), in partnership with Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), are working towards the process of diversifying the economy through the development of the non-oil sector.

    To this end, the Executive Secretary, NIPC, Saratu Umar, her NEPC counterpart,  Segun Awolowo, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of efforts aimed at establishing a framework of collaboration with other agencies.

    The MoU is also aimed at promoting and facilitating domestic and foreign investments in specific areas identified by NEPC for development of the export sector.

    Umar,  said her agency would ensure inter-agency collaboration in a way and manner that will promotes the realisation of the respective mandates of the two institutions.

    “This enhanced inter- agency collaboration is part of NIPC’s current strategy of effectively actualising its mandate which includes encouraging, promoting and coordinating all investments in the economy,  coordinating and monitoring all investment promotion activities, as well as being the liaison between investors and Ministries, Departments and Agencies, institutional lenders and other authorities concerned,” she said.

    Umar explained that the investment coordination framework, developed by the NIPC, will see the Commission entering into partnership with some key agencies in the investment ecosystem for seemless coordination, as well as greater support to investors.

    “This initiative forms part of NIPC’s ongoing Corporate Transformation into a gold standard of excellence on the African continent and a world- class investment promotion agency, comparable to any in the world, that will effectively deliver on its mandate and bring Investment to the forefront of national socio-economic development.

    “This partnership could not have come at a better time than now, when the Nation is experiencing dwindling fortunes in the oil sector, and the current situation demands the diversification of the economy through the development of the non-oil sectors of the economy.”

     

    Speaking, the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo noted that the partnerships between the two agencies which would provide a platform for synergy is targeted at easing the process of exports as well as attracting investments in the sector, stating that now more than ever, it is critical for both agencies to fast track the diversification of the economy in line with the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP, identifying 13 National Strategic Export Products (NESPs) that will replace oil while it will be supported by two key NEPC initiatives – the One State One Product (OSOP) and Nigerian Diaspora Export Programme (NDEX).

     

  • Nahco, NEPC, others partner on export promotion

    Nahco, NEPC, others partner on export promotion

    A joint committee made up of representatives of the Lagos State Government, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), nahco aviance and Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) is to be set up to work out ways to improve export in the country.

    Each party is to be represented by two members each.

    This was the resolution of a workshop hosted by nahco aviance for stakeholders in the agro – allied export business.

    At the workshop titled “Stakeholders’ workshop on addressing challenges in export of horticulture products from Nigeria” which took place in Lagos recently, the Executive Director of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo said the body had to be part of the workshop in collaboration with other bodies such as nahco aviance, NAQS and Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative because of the visit made to the firm and NAQS by the officials of the council.

    Represented by the Acting Director of Market Development, Mr. Mathew Iranloye, said the visit to firm was to acquaint the Council with the workings of the two organisations with a view to assessing how their operations could help facilitate the body’s efforts at galvanising Nigerian exporters of foods towards servicing the growing demands of European Union and The United States of America markets for fresh and processed food items from Africa.

    Also speaking in his capacity as the Acting Director of Market Development of NEPC, Iranloye reiterated the need for exporters to adhere strictly to global standards especially on packaging and labeling of their products.

    Nahco’s Business Manager, Lagos Region, Mr. Yahaya Hassan who represented nahco at the workshop said that the company has put different facilities in place such as freezers, cold rooms etc., to help facilitate the exportation of goods. He also stated that the nahco aviance’s Free Trade Zone which will soon commence operations will be an impetus to exportation of goods in the country.

    Mr. Kayode Ashafa who represented the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative stated that the state government has been supporting and will continue to support the promotion of export. He said the state government was ready to partner with stakeholders to encourage exportation of agricultural products. He advised exporters to always follow standards in their businesses. He also thanked nahco aviance, NEPC, NAQS and Customs for putting the workIn his contribution, the Director – General, Nigerian Association of Chamber Of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. John Isemede also advised exporters to imbibe the culture of proper labeling, packaging, grading and pricing. He also told the Federal Government to set up a national carrier to help facilitate the exportation of goods.

    Other people who addressed the workshop are Mrs. Evelyn Obidike, Acting Zonal Controller, NEPC Lagos and the representative of Custom Area Controller, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Mrs. Dyuran.

  • ‘Oil still dominates Nigeria’s export market’

    Nigeria’s export market is still dominated by crude oil despite an appreciable improvement in the non-oil export, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Olusegun Awolowo, has said.

    Nigeria is the world’s seventh biggest crude exporter. The country sustains its economy through oil, deriving a substantial amount of its capital expenditure from the product.

    Awolowo, who spoke at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, said oil is Nigeria’s biggest product for export, given the fact that Nigeria has huge crude reserves. However, he said the government has shown its readiness to increase the non-oil sector for growth.

    He said the country realised $2.970 billion from non-oil export in 2013, a 15.9 per cent increase over the non-oil export proceeds in 2012.

    He said the non-oil export potential had not been fully exploited. Besides, Nigeria is endowed with natural resources, including solid minerals and agriculture, he said, adding that some of the challenges facing the non-oil sector are infrastructure, energy, finance, skills, security and capacity.

    He said: “The non-export challenges in Nigeria are infrastructural deficiency, poor standardisation of products, high cost of production, falsification of documents, weak linkages to chain supply, unwholesome trade practices, and exports dominated by primary products. Others are inability to meet export orders and restricted access to credit and trademark.’’

    He said for Nigeria to position itself effectively in the global market, its goods for export must meet the competitiveness and standards required.  He said the country must identify international benchmarks, invest in skills, technology and innovation, provide conducive and stable export policy and environment to be able to compete well.

    Awolowo said there was no better time than now to critically address issues that would enhance the development and promotion of the country’s non-oil export.

  • NEPC, UK partner on exports from Nigeria

    NEPC, UK partner on exports from Nigeria

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the united Kingdom (UK) have agreed to collaborate in building capacity for acceptable standards of Nigerian exports to the UK.

    The Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo said for Nigerian goods to compete in the international market, issues of packing and packaging, labeling among other requisite quality requirements of the importing countries must be met by exporters.

    He spoke while receiving the British Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Mr. David Heath in Abuja, assuring that the collaborative effort would help in promoting and increasing the volume of trade between both countries.

    He said: “For Nigerian businessmen in the UK, and other stakeholders who desire to invest in the Nigerian non-oil export sector, there is need for them to come under a veritable platform like the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) as a readily acceptable medium for engagement and support.

    “Towards this end, the Council is working on signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NBCC to help interface between Nigerians in Diaspora and the Council, with a view to mapping out areas of collaboration for trade and investments.”

    Responding, Mr. Heath said the Trade and Investment Office observed that there was need to build on existing close cultural and historical ties between both countries by improving engagements in the area of trade and investments.

    He said there were many areas that could be explored to increase the volume of trade between both countries adding that where there are barriers to trade, both countries would partner to address them.

    For instance, there was opportunity for big retailers in the UK such as TESCO and Marks & Spencer to explore the Nigerian market , and at the same time accommodate and further expose Made-in-Nigeria products.

    He identified areas of interest to include – establishing more partnerships at business levels, bringing in technology, value-addition and addressing barriers to achieving standards.

    On the issue of standardisation, Mr. Heath – a long standing Member of the British Parliament, said the UK was willing to partner the Council in providing capacity and training for exporters particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), stressing that more emphasis should be placed on providing adequate storage capacity for perishable goods in Nigeria to avoid wastage.

  • Nigeria earns N55.4b from tobacco, says NEPC

    Nigeria earns N55.4b from tobacco, says NEPC

    The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said the role of the tobacco industry in the country’s economy cannot be overlooked.

    In a document exclusively obtained by The Nation, the NEPC observed that when viewed against the background of the statistics from the data for beneficiaries of its Export Expansion Grant Scheme (EEGS), the tobacco sector has contributed immensely to the  economy.

    For instance, the NEPC said between 2006 and 2012, there was an accumulated inflow of foreign exchange worth N55.386 billion from the sector. The inflow also reflects an increase of 1,055.77 per cent from N1. 08billion in 2006 to N12.51billion in 2012.

    In the same period, the sector, according to the report, contributed N20.41billion in investment in capital assets and infrastructure development. There is also an increase of 89.08 per cent in 2012 to the tune of N2. 96billion as against N1. 57billion in 2006. While in the area of employment generation, the sector  recorded an increase of 11.64 per cent in 2012 with a total of 1,237 employees as against 1,108 employees in 2006.

    “The Council hereby restates that the tobacco companies have significantly contributed to the growth of the nation’s economy in line with the Transformation Agenda of the present administration, especially in the areas of employment and revenue generation,” the NEPC report said.

    Investigations into the operations of the British American Tobacco Iseyin Agronomy (BATIA) revealed that from tobacco farming alone, about N1 billion is generated into the economy of its host community of Oke-Ogun, in Oyo State.

  • NEPC,UNIDO seek new areas in non-oil sector

    Few areas for development and promotion of the non-oil export sector are being explored by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

    The Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo made this known at a meeting with the Country Representative of UNIDO in Nigeria, Dr. Patrick Kormawa.

    He said: “The Council has collaborated with UNIDO over the years in areas of human capital development with the establishment of leather and leather products Common Facility Centre (CFC), at Aba Abia State, Kano CFC on textiles and the Human Capital Development Centre (HCDC) also known as the AGOA Training School, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    “The Council has prioritised some products for export as part of its effort to stimulate export culture among Nigerians, with future plans to establish a world class export training institute.

    “Concerted effort is being made by NEPC to shift focus from post to pre-shipment incentive with the re-introduction of the Export Development Fund (EDF) which is targeted at promoting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) exporters.”

    Speaking, UNIDO representative, Dr. Kormawa confirmed that there was need to first build strong export culture within the ECOWAS sub-region before launching out to other regions, stressing that the development of a national policy that would ensure acceptable international quality standards for exportable products was of paramount importance.

    Kormawa said for the country to actualise the objectives of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) all stakeholders in the non-oil export sector as well as relevant Government Agencies in the sector should own and drive the plan.

    Towards this end, he said UNIDO was willing to partner with relevant agencies and identified stakeholders in proffering strategies that would help in achieving the goals and objectives of the NIRP.