Explore Non-oil Exports, NEPC Urges Nigerian Students

The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, has urged Nigerian students to embrace opportunities in the non-oil export sector and develop businesses capable of competing in the global market.

Ayeni made the call at the launch of the NEPC-National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Student Trade, Entrepreneurship and Export Programme (STEP-X), themed, “From Campus to Global Market: Empowering Nigerian Students for Non-Oil Export and Global Entrepreneurship.” on Thursday.

She said the initiative was designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to transform their ideas and businesses into export-ready enterprises.

“Youths are not only the future, they are the drivers of tomorrow’s economy. They are agents of change and strong influencers in the sphere of things,” Ayeni said.

According to her, Nigeria’s youthful population represents a major economic asset that must be deliberately harnessed for national development.

“If you give the youths flour, they turn it to a big pie. If you give them some few tools, they couple it to a powerful machine,” she said, citing the creativity and technological achievements of Nigerian youths.

Ayeni noted that young Nigerians were already developing businesses and products in areas including agriculture, agro-processing, fashion and textiles, technology, creative industries and digital services.

However, she said many of these businesses were yet to take advantage of export opportunities because of limited knowledge of international markets, export procedures, documentation, quality standards, certification and market access.

“This is why we came up with the theme: ‘From Campus to Global Market.’ Our goal is to make the journey from a hostel room or a campus workshop to the international market shorter, clearer and achievable,” she said.

The NEPC boss highlighted the Council’s recent achievements in promoting Nigeria’s non-oil exports, including the country’s record non-oil export earnings of about $6.1 billion in 2025, representing an increase from $5.46 billion recorded in 2024.

She said 281 products were exported to 120 countries during the period.

Ayeni also disclosed that the Council conducted 728 training programmes in 2025, reaching 96,221 people through its 36 state and regional offices.

She said NEPC had provided international certifications to 210 small and medium-sized enterprises free of charge under its Go Global Go Certification initiative, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to more than 600.

According to her, the Council is also training women and youths in bag and shoe making through its Export Skill Acquisition Centre in partnership with Lelook, with more than 300 people already trained out of a target of 1,000.

She further disclosed that more than 70 SMEs had been onboarded onto Jumia to expand the visibility of Made-in-Nigeria products and create new market opportunities through digital trade and e-commerce.

On the STEP-X initiative, Ayeni said the partnership with NANS would enable the Council to reach students across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

“NANS provides the national student platform and mobilisation capacity, while NEPC brings its technical expertise, export-development mandate and market-access experience,” she said.

She explained that STEP-X would focus on export readiness, international market research, documentation, quality and standards, packaging, digital trade and access to global markets.

Ayeni encouraged students to take the programme seriously and make use of the opportunities available to them.

“Do not think of export as something reserved for big companies. Many of today’s successful Nigerian exporters started small,” she said.

She added: “At NEPC, we believe that some of Nigeria’s next generation of exporters are already on our campuses. Our responsibility is to identify them, equip them and create the pathways for them to grow and contribute meaningfully to inclusive and sustainable growth in Nigeria.”

Ayeni said the initiative was also aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on economic diversification, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, job creation, productivity and private-sector development.

She called on participants to engage actively with facilitators and other stakeholders throughout the programme.

“Together we can turn the creativity of Nigerian students into businesses that take Nigerian products and ideas to the world,” she said.

On his part, the National President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comr Akinteye Babatunde represented by The Secretary General, NANS, Comr. Oladimeji Uthman Salawudeen, noted that it was a laudable project, which will help in lunching out the students from classrooms to the global market.

“We all understood that the four walls of our classroom is not only for us as students to learn. We can also learn how to be independent, so that we can become employers of labour and not to be job seekers.

“Some of our students are already entrepreneurs who make shoes, various kinds of bags, clothes and fabrics, beads, kuli-kuli amongst others.

“With this programme, more Nigerian students would be benefiting immensely from the international trade which will also add to the country’s foreign exchange earnings.”

“Our turn out is this massive because we believe in its impact. As yo can see, there is no job anywhere, and we don’t want to be victims of job seekers. That is why most of us are already into one trade or the other.

“Finally, l want to say a very big thanks the CEO and management of NEPC for this laudable initiative.”