By Charles Okonji
In furtherance of its efforts for increased certified non-oil exports and accelerated employment creation through entrepreneur mentorship, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in conjunction with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has officially launched the Students Trade, Entrepreneurship and Export Programme (STEP-X) in Lagos on Thursday.
In her welcome address, Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director/CEO NEPC, noted that the essence of STEP-X is to train students and eqip them with the necessary skills and certifications to enable them benefit from the global market, especially the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to her, the programme themed, “From Campus to Global Market: Empowering Nigerian Students for Non-oil Export and Global Entrepreneurship,” would be replicated in six geopolitical zones of the country.
She noted that Certification helps exporters to access niche markets, adhere to international quality and standards and enable them play actively in the global market.
“Record on non-oil export performance shos that Nigeria earned about US$6.1 billion from non-oil exports in 2025, the highest figure ever recorded for formally documented trade since the Council began.
“It is about 11.5% more than the US$5.46 billion earned in 2024. In all, 281 different products were sold to 120 countries,” She averred.
The NEPC CEO noted that the Council ran 728 training programmes in 2025 and impacted 96,221 people through its 36 state and regional offices.
She pointed out that Go Global Certification NEPC gave international certifications to 210 SMEs free of charge, adding that it brings the total certification so far to over 600.
In her own words; “We have started another round of certifications now so if you have products you can apply if you qualify.
“Export Skill Acquisition Centre (ESAC) in partnership with Lelook, is currently training women and youths in the art of bag and shoe making at the Council’s office in Apapa.
“We have already trained over 300 women and youths and the target is 1,000. This is an opportunity for direct job creation under the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr President.
“We have also onboarded more than 70 SMEs on Jumia. The aim is to make Made-in-Nigeria goods easier to find abroad, cut selling costs and open new markets through digital trade and e-commerce.”
Ayeni disclosed that the council has through training and retraing achieved fewer export rejects with the International Trade Centre, esplaining that the Council is running the STDF 845 project to reduce the rejection of Nigerian sesame seed and cowpea abroad.
She emphasized that the Kebbi sesame cluster is the pilot and will be replicated across the six geopolitical zones.
“There is WEIDE FUND which I am particularly proud of. NEPC was the only institution in Africa and one of only four in the world chosen for phase one of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund. 141 women-led businesses have received training, mentoring and exportreadiness support, plus grants of between US$5,000 to US$30,000.”
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.”
