NEPC, SMEDAN Strategize To Boost Export Trade

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have agreed to partner to ease trade facilitation to boost export trade.

The Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni disclosed in Abuja while receiving in her office the Director General of SMEDAN, Mr. Charles Odii.

Ayeni who noted that there was a need for strategic collaboration with relevant stakeholders said the Council is currently putting in place strategic initiatives to enhance export performance in the country.

“At the NEPC, we are kick-starting this process with Operational Double Your Export. This initiative is pivotal to the increase in volume and value of Made-in-Nigeria products”, she added.

She explained that the effort will be focused on the development and promotion of 20 major products that have the propensity to attract premium prices in the global market while targeting 15 existing and new markets.

The objective, she pointed out is to facilitate the export of these products by collaborating with exporting companies that have the wherewithal to compete in the global market.

Responding, Odii observed that with 96 percent of businesses operating as Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs), the need to provide capacity building in export business was critical to the promotion of export trade.

He disclosed that with offices located in the 36 states of the federation, SMEDAN was adequately positioned to complement the role of the NEPC in export promotion adding that the Agency was considering the development of at least one product per the 774 local government areas and thereby align with the One State One Product (OSOP) initiative of the NEPC.

He further advocated for a joint capacity-building programme for stakeholders in the sector, a reduction in trade barriers to stimulate market access as well as special funding of SMEs by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost exports within the regional bloc.