NEPC, Academy unveil export skills centre to empower, women, youths

Plan to link entrepreneurs to $2.5tr global fashion market

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and Lelook Bags Academy have established Export Skills Acquisition Centre (ESAC) and Fashion Innovative Hub in Lagos State to equip youths, women, and People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) with essential creative industry skills to compete in the $2.5 trillion global fashion market.

The Centre, developed through a Public-Private Partnership between NEPC and the Academy, will facilitate vocational training, improve the quality and standards of locally-made products, expand Nigeria’s export portfolio, increase job opportunities and inspire a culture of export among Nigerian youths and women to meet the growing global demand for bags and accessories, with the Nigerian market projected to reach $228.2 billion by end of 2024.

Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, who spoke during the inauguration of the Centre at Apapa, Lagos, yesterday, underscored the timeliness of the Centre’s launch, especially with the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and a growing consumer base seeking “Made in Africa” products.

The minister said that Africa’s fashion industry, currently valued at $31 billion, represents about 1.2 per cent of the $2.5 trillion global fashion market, which Nigeria must tap into.

Uzoka-Anite pointed to the rise of e-commerce and social media as drivers of new opportunities for the African creative industry, including Nigeria’s fashion sector. She said that the Nigerian fashion e-commerce market is set to reach $422.8 million by the end of 2024, with an expected growth to $579.9 million by 2028.

The minister, however, said that despite its potential, African fashion faces challenges that have hindered it from achieving the success of its Western counterparts.

Uzoka-Anite said the ESAC is designed to address the obstacles by providing specialised training in export-related skills, such as product development, quality control, international trade regulations, and digital marketing.

She promised that the ministry would collaborate with stakeholders to help Nigerian youths and women realise their full potential through skills development, which aligns with the ESAC’s mission to produce globally-competitive products.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, who highlighted the significance of the ESAC in improving the quality and standards of Nigerian products for the global market, underscored the ESAC’s potential to expand the country’s export portfolio, increase job opportunities and inspire a culture of export among Nigerian youths and women.

She noted the growing global demand for bags and accessories, projecting that the market is set to reach $228.2 billion by 2024, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.7 per cent over the next four years.

Ayeni, therefore, encouraged the exporting community to capitalise on the PPP model with Lelook Bags, urging Nigerian exporters to harness the AfCFTA’s potential.

Also, Managing Director and CEO of Lelook Nigeria Limited and Bags Academy, Chinwe Ezenwa, stressed the importance of providing skill-building opportunities to reduce crimes and idleness in Apapa. Ezenwa, however, reiterated the Centre’s commitment to inclusivity, noting the presence of students with disabilities, including those who are non-verbal.