The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has revealed that it has earmarked $2.5 billion from revenue generated between January and June from non-oil exports.
This announcement was made by Dr. Ezra Yakusak, the Executive Director of NEPC, on Wednesday, during a one-day workshop for emerging exporters held in Owerri.
Dr. Yakusak, represented by Mr. Anthony Ajuruchi, the NEPC’s State Coordinator in Imo, expressed optimism that with this revenue milestone, the council could surpass its 2022 revenue of $4.8 billion by the end of 2023.
The workshop, themed “New Exporters; Panacea for Non-Oil Exports Growth,” aimed to educate newly registered exporters and encourage them to learn from experienced counterparts.
Dr. Yakusak urged successful exporters to share their experiences with new exporters to increase the number of participants in the non-oil exports business in Imo and contribute to the state and Nigeria’s economic growth.
He stated, “The more people venture into the exports business, the more revenue for the state and the more growth of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and hopefully, we will surpass the gains of the previous year.”
Mrs. Lilian Moses-Okoro, the Chief Executive Officer of Ivyl Foods, shared her success story of exporting products to Canada, the USA, and the UK.
She advised new exporters not to give up on growing their products and to register their businesses with the NEPC to enhance their brands and access future business intervention opportunities.
Adeola Ilechukwu of Cannif Trust Ltd. highlighted the importance of addressing challenges faced by exporters.
She noted that while Nigeria had been exporting 100 metric tons of catfish annually, this had gradually declined.
She urged exporters to find ways to overcome challenges, emphasizing that the future of Nigeria’s economy depended significantly on non-oil exports.
Over 100 new exporters in Imo state participated in the one-day workshop, signaling a growing interest in non-oil exports and the potential for economic diversification.