By Chigozie Chukwuleta.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council held a successful one day sensitization workshop for youths in Anambra state.
The workshop held at the Ministry of Housing Hall, Anambra state Secretariat had youths from all the senatorial zones of the state in attendance.
Addressing the participants, the state Head, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Anambra state, Mrs. Jane Ego Ohiri said that the workshop was basically to sensitize the youth of the state on the activities of the Agency and the benefits thereof.
She informed that the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is a federal government agency established for a sole purpose of developing and promoting non-oil exports from Nigeria.
Mrs Ohiri said that part of the agency’s activities include but not limited to spearhead the diversification of the Nigerian economy by expanding and increasing non-oil exports for sustainable and inclusive economic growth with core values on integrity, patriotism, professionalism, fairness, team work and customer care.
She enumerated the NEPC services to include registration of exporters, providing market information, export training and seminars, matching Nigerian exporters with potential buyers, advisory and coaching and administration of export incentives.
Other services are support in trade promotion services, support for women in exports, promoting the development and diversification of Nigerian export trade, promoting the development of export related industries in Nigeria, implementation of export policies and programs the Nigerian government.
She made known to the youths the list of exportable products in Nigeria which include; agricultural commodities, horticultural products, semi processed/manufactured products, processed/manufactured products.
She also told them that services such as engineering, banking, insurance, consultancy, cultural troupes, haircut, tourism, Law, Information, Communication, technology, home video, music and films are exportable.
She however hinted on the the export prohibition list which include, timber(rough or sawn), raw hides and skin (including wet blue and all unfinished leather), scrap metals, unprocessed rubber latex and lumps, artifacts and antiquities, wildlife animals classified as endangered species and products thereof.
Mrs Ohiri encouraged the participants to go into cooperatives, adding that one must not start big in the export business as there are openings and opportunities for small beginners.
“This initiative was embarked upon to help the youth understand that it is not only bigger companies that can produce for export or participate in export business and also to teach them good packaging that will meet international standard”
She also informed them of the availability of two kinds of funds, the Export Development Fund and the Export Expansion Fund
It was an interactive session where participants asked relevant questions and satisfactory answers were provided by Mrs Ohiri and her team.
Speaking to Newspathfinder after the workshop, one of the participants, Ms Chidimma Oramali described the workshop as a wonderful opportunity for the youth to get the right information to explore the export space in Nigeria.
“People here have a lot of information for us to go back, source those local products that can be exported and earn in foreign currencies “,
“That’s a good way of improving our lives and generating revenue for this country. I am really really impressed with what we did today. It is expository, information loaded and with this information, we have money in our pockets”.
