The Federal Government has expressed optimism that the non-oil sector has potential to change the nation’s current financial challenges to a better economic fortune if properly harnessed.

The Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council [NEPC], Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, gave the assurance yesterday at the launch of the Export mentorship Programme (EMP) in Abuja.

Statistics from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) indicate that the sector recorded an export trade worth $4.820 billion in 2022 representing an increase of 39.91 per cent over the 2021 export value.

According to NEPC statistics, 167 non-oil products were also exported in the first quarter of 2023, the products range from manufactured, semi-processed, solid minerals and raw agricultural commodities.

Indeed, Ayeni appealed to financial institutions such as the Bank of Industry (BOI) and other supporting agencies of government to increase the funding of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to achieve higher non-oil export earnings for the country.

According to her, “The EMP is a well thought out strategy where budding exporters are attached to established manufacturing exporters for an agreed period for the purpose of learning the rudiments of the non-oil export business.”

She said the EMP idea was born out of the dire need to enhance the performance of Nigeria’s non-oil export sector through the provision of a veritable platform for learning, unlearning and relearning of new exporters from the established ones in a practical manner.

“Today’s programme, the launch of the export membership programme is yet another proactive step at ensuring that skills gap and other various obstacles affecting export performances, especially for newly registered exporters are reduced to the barest minimum.”

“EMP is unique because it adopts a practical hands-on approach whereby willing mentees are attached to performing exporters for tutelage on the entire process of non-oil export business.”

She explained that the council’s decision to adopt the EMP strategy for raising a new crop of skilled exporters is based on global best statistics, which show that less than 10percent of beginner exporters can successfully transition from prospective to performing exporters within their first three to five years of establishment.

Earlier in a welcome address, the NEPC Director, Trade Information, Dr. Joe Itah said that the pilot phase of the EMP had 20 members under the tutelage of five mentors.

According to him, about 15 mentees successfully completed their training and will be awarded certificates.