NEPC Rejigs Operational Activities To Meet Govt’s Medium Term Development Plan

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has revealed that it will conscientiously alter its operational activities in order to satisfy exporters demands.

The Chief Executive Director (CEO) NEPC, Ezra Yakusak disclosed this in a statement signed by the Head, Corporate Communications NEPC Headquarters, Ndubueze Okeke on Tuesday in Abuja.

Yakusak revealed that this new development is in line with the Federal Government’s (FG) Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) in pursuing stability, development and generating more revenue as the sector was seen to be facing difficulties as a result of departments and outstation offices implementing projects at will without recourse to the Work plan.

He acknowledged the $4.820 billion recorded by the non-oil export at the end of 2022 fiscal year, adding that the Council’s operational activities will align strictly with that of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) in order to succeed.

Yakusak said, “In line with the Federal Government’s Medium-Term Development Plan. This is sequel to the tremendous performance recorded in the non-oil export sector in 2022 in which the sector recorded a significant and highly impressive result of US$ 4.820 billion recorded for the year 2022 representing an increase of 39.91% over 2021.

“Before this departments and outstation offices implemented projects at will without recourse to the Work plan and allocation of resources nothing that the practice has not only made tracking of projects difficult and unaccountable but grossly affected the impact assessment of such projects which do not align with set project implementation frameworks.

“While some of these projects that are expected to a have direct bearing on exporters at the grassroots are being implemented by departments at the headquarters, the Regional and State coordinating offices are also implementing different projects outside the approved work plan thereby making monitoring and evaluation of these projects difficult.

“The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) repositioning its operational activities to meet the needs of the exporting community, of which we are expected to align to, to support the diversification agenda of the Federal Government the need to reposition our operational activities is desirable.”

Yakusak however added that there are few structural changes in the Council departmental nomenclature and organogram (organization chart) which has been approved by the NEPC Board.

The NEPC boss assured that the new alteration will be in tune with global best practices and classifications and compliance with some recommendations of the International Trade Centre (ITC) benchmarking program for the NEPC.