The Nigerian Export Promotion Council has trained over 14,000 youths across the country under its Youth Export Development Programme, YEXDEP within two years.
The Executive Director of the Council, Dr Ezra Yakusak said during the Women and Youth inclusive session at the ongoing Export Week in Abuja Nigeria’s Capital.
He explained that the YEXDEP was created to provide a platform for youths to actively participate in the global market space.
Dr Yakusak stated that the Council also created the Women in Export Division to support women’s participation in export trade, through the implementation of specific programmes targeted at promoting women-owned businesses.
“The Council partnered with the International Trade Centre under the Shetrades initiative to connect 200,000 women from Nigeria to the global market by 2021.” Mr Yakusak said.
“In continuation of its efforts at empowering the Nigerian women and youths, the Council recently initiated an Export Mentorship Programme, where registered youth exporting companies (Mentees) will be attached to Performing Exporters (Mentors) for tutelage covering a period of 3-4weeks.”
“Under this pilot programme, the mentees will be exposed to the practicalities of export business and this will bridge the failure gap experience by potential exporters.” He stated.
The NEPC boss noted that as part of the #Export4Survival campaign, the Council is undertaking full sponsorship of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, HACCP and Food And Drug Administration, FDA for 200 MSMEs companies to commence immediately.
According to him, “I am also pleased to inform you that under our Go Global Go for Certification initiative, a programme that seeks to enhance global market access for Nigerian products, through the implementation of Voluntary Certification like HACCP, FDA, HALAL, etc., the Council had fully sponsored the implementation of HACCP, FDA, HALAL and ISO22000 for 154 MSMEs in the last 2 years.”
“It is worthy of mention that 80% of the beneficiaries of the NEPC-sponsored certification programme are women-owned businesses.”
Dr Yakusak also presented certificates to representatives of 101 SMEs that benefited from the council’s certification programme this year.
He also flagged off the certification process of 200 SMEs by presenting approval letters to their representatives.
Dominica Nwabufo
