The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), has assured the Nigerian exporters of the organisation’s unwavering commitment to help them meet both mandatory and voluntary certification standards.

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, who stated this at a workshop tagged “Go Global, Go for Certification,” held in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, said that the Federal Government Agency would help exporters to meet standards such as FDA, HACCP, ISO, and Global G.A.P. etc.

Ayeni, who spoke through Mr. Afolabi Bello, a Deputy Director at the Trade Information Department of NEPC, noted that the workshop was designed to equip exporters, MSMEs, women-led businesses, and agro-processors with vital knowledge about product certification for accessing international markets.
“These certifications are not just stickers. They are signals of trust to global buyers,” Ayeni stressed, noting further that the Council had already facilitated certification for over 200 SMEs in 2025 alone, with a target of 400 by the year’s end — all at no cost to their businesses.
“We’re especially here for SMEs and women-owned enterprises. You don’t need to know anyone to benefit. Just apply, submit your samples, and you’ll be assessed,” she said.
The workshop, organised by NEPC’s Trade Information Department, drew participants from across sectors eager to gain clarity on how to navigate certification hurdles and scale up their products for export.

In her welcome address, Acting Regional Coordinator of NEPC Lagos, Mrs. Bolanle Emmanuel, highlighted the strategic importance of product certification in today’s competitive global trade environment.

She noted that international markets demand not only top-tier quality but also strict compliance with health, safety, and environmental standards.

Emmanuel further encouraged participants to maximise the opportunity by engaging actively during the sessions, sharing challenges, and asking questions.

She also added that international products certification does not replace but compliments the services of regulatory agencies like NAFDAC, SON, and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), whose roles are central to ensuring a credible and compliant export ecosystem.

President of Women in Export Trade and Investment (WETI), Ms. Efe Usin, shared personal experiences, highlighting NEPC’s support for female exporters.
“One of the things NEPC did for us this year was facilitate the certification of about 22 of our members,” she said, describing the initiative as both impactful and timely.
Urging fellow exporters to take initiative, Usin humorously warned, “If we don’t take the steps we need to take, someone else will. China might just start exporting egusi soup cheaper than you can cook it at home.”