NEPC’s Ayeni Unveils Export Expansion Drive in Kano, Targets Women and Youth for Greater Non‑Oil Growth
The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, says Kano State and the wider North‑West region are central to Nigeria’s ambition to double non‑oil export earnings and strengthen the country’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Ayeni made the remarks at a stakeholders’ engagement and Non‑Oil Export Town Hall Meeting in Kano, where she outlined the Council’s nationwide engagement strategy and its roadmap for expanding Nigeria’s non‑oil export base. She told Economic Confidential that Kano was deliberately chosen as a strategic location because of its dominant role in agricultural production, commodity aggregation, processing, trading, logistics and access to regional markets.
Ayeni said the Kano engagement was part of a broader national exercise covering all six geopolitical zones. “We chose Kano as a strategic state in the North‑West. We were previously in Lagos for the South‑West, and we will be heading to Port Harcourt to cover the South‑South,” she said.
She explained that the Council’s decision to take its advocacy across the country was driven by the need to understand region‑specific challenges and ensure NEPC interventions remain responsive to exporters’ needs.
Kano’s Strategic Role
Ayeni described Kano as “a potential export engine,” noting that the state not only produces significant quantities of export commodities but also serves as a major aggregation and trading hub for products sourced across northern Nigeria. She said NEPC had visited several companies in Kano before the town hall meeting, adding that the turnout demonstrated strong private‑sector interest in expanding non‑oil exports.
She emphasised that the next phase for Kano and the wider North is to move beyond raw commodity exports to processing and value addition. “The North is already an export region. We now need to scale, add value, make ourselves more globally competitive and earn more foreign exchange,” she said.
Exporters Drive Nigeria’s $6.1bn Milestone
Ayeni attributed Nigeria’s record non‑oil export performance to the resilience of exporters despite economic challenges. She said the sector generated $6.1 billion in 2025—an 11.5% increase over the $5.46 billion recorded in 2024—marking Nigeria’s highest formally documented non‑oil export value.
Nigeria exported 8.02 million metric tonnes of non‑oil products to more than 120 countries, covering 281 distinct products across agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals and other value chains.
“Despite the challenges, exporters and commercial entities helped us achieve this earnings feat,” she said.
Women and Youth at the Centre of NEPC’s Empowerment Drive
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Ayeni said NEPC has intensified efforts to build the capacity of Nigerians—especially women and young people—to participate effectively in the export ecosystem. She disclosed that more than 140 women had been trained in export strategies, including digital trade, and empowered with grants ranging from $5,000 to $30,000.
“These grants helped them establish themselves as formidable business partners in non‑oil exports,” she said.
Preparing Retirees for Export Business
In a new initiative, Ayeni said NEPC is preparing retiring civil servants for life after public service by equipping them with export‑business skills. The Council has written to MDAs requesting nominations of civil servants retiring within the next three years.
“We will train and empower them so they can take care of themselves and their families after retirement. We have done the first stream and the next stream is coming soon,” she said.
Mentoring Young Nigerians
Ayeni also highlighted NEPC’s Export Mentorship Programme, which pairs young Nigerians with established exporters to gain practical industry experience. The programme covers product sourcing, documentation, standards, market access and international trade procedures.
Strengthening NEPC’s Institutional Capacity
Ayeni said NEPC continues to invest in capacity‑building for its staff to improve technical expertise and service delivery. “A competent and continuously trained workforce is essential to achieving our organisational goals,” she said.
Export 35, OSOP and Other Interventions
Ayeni outlined several flagship programmes, including the Cluster Export Development Programme, Go Global Initiative, Export Mentorship Programme, Informal Cross‑Border Trade Programme, Export 35 Re‑Defined Strategy and the One State One Product (OSOP) Programme. She said these interventions aim to improve product standards, expand market access, reduce export rejection and strengthen competitiveness.
Progress on Export Expansion Grant (EEG)
Ayeni assured exporters that significant progress had been made on resolving issues surrounding the Export Expansion Grant. “We have gained considerable traction, and I am confident that in no distant time, we will all have cause to smile,” she said.
Building on the $6.1bn Record
Ayeni said NEPC’s current strategy focuses on consolidating gains, expanding market access, improving standards, developing human capital and ensuring more Nigerians benefit from international trade opportunities. She stressed that NEPC’s programmes align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She said the ultimate goal is to build a sustainable export ecosystem where Nigerian businesses can consistently produce, process, certify, market and sell competitive products globally.
With its strong production, aggregation and processing capacity, Ayeni said Kano will remain a key partner in Nigeria’s non‑oil export expansion.
She expressed optimism that sustained collaboration between government and the private sector would enable Nigeria to surpass the $6.1 billion record and make non‑oil exports a stronger pillar of economic growth, job creation and foreign‑exchange earnings.
Ayeni urged exporters to continue providing feedback, assuring them that their input would remain central to future NEPC interventions and export‑support services.
By PRNigeria
