NEPC sets up units to equip women, youth for export business

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has established units under its Export Inclusiveness Division in its quest to empower women, youths and special persons for export business.

According to the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, NEPC, Dr. Ezra Yakusak, the divisions will help to push Nigeria’s non-oil export to the global markets as a way of contributing its quota to diversifying the nation’s economic revenue base away from hydrocarbon resources.

Represented by the Regional Coordinator, South West, NEPC, Akintunde Folorunsho, at the debriefing of exhibitors at the 2022 fruit attraction international trade fair/training of women-led businesses for enhanced participation at trade events, he said the programme aimed to update participants on the outcome of the trade fair, including engagement with buyers, feedback on the exhibited products, industry trends and market requirements.

He said the event was also aimed at confirming the number of companies that have already been contracted by potential buyers and partners while providing support to help the women entrepreneurs build sustainable business relationships with their trade partners.

“Furthermore, we hope to enlighten women-led businesses on the market requirements for the export of fruits and vegetables related sectors. We understand that this knowledge will be instrumental in achieving sustainable growth and success in your respective businesses,” he added.

The NEPC boss stated that the council will also be identifying female exporters of fruits and vegetables as well as other products that were requested by potential buyers at the fruit attraction trade fair which was held in Madrid, Spain last year.

He reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the participation of women-led businesses at fruit attractions and other trade events that could provide visibility for non-oil products while also increasing Nigeria’s market share internationally.

Speaking about the fruit attraction trade fair, he noted that the fair is a platform for operators in the fruit and vegetable industry to network and create new business opportunities, pointing out that the 2022 edition had participants from 130 countries.

“We hope that this debriefing/training session will be both informative and engaging for all participants. This exercise combined with a training session to prepare other women entrepreneurs for enhanced participation at trade shows,” he said.

One of the participants, Adeola Balogun, said from the fruit attraction, exporters were mentored under ITC Shetrade about what to expect, how to package and present products, available markets and access to a funder to boost non-oil exports.

She stated that funding remained a major challenge in the non-oil export business, saying most of the women in export do not have access to collateral for big funds to finance big exports.