NEPC Aims At $8bn Non-oil Export Revenue In 2019
The Federal Government through the Nigerian Export Promotion Council says it plans to grow the country’s non-oil export revenue from $1.2bn in 2016 to $8bn next year.
The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, gave the figures at the graduation of participants of the zero-to-export training programme held on Thursday in Abuja.
The zero-to-export initiative is one of the programmes of the NEPC that focus on creating a new generation of Nigerian exporters through the training of business executives, bankers, civil servants and unemployed graduates, among others in export business.
The programme is anchored on a public-private partnership arrangement with support from Deposit Money Banks, the Bank of Industry and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank.
Speaking at the event, Awolowo said the inability of the country to diversify the economy over the years had led to several economic distortions.
He added that the zero-oil plan was one of the programmes of government, aimed at correcting this disequilibrium.
He described the zero-oil plan as one of the practical steps of the Federal Government to realistically diversify the Nigerian economy away from oil.
Awolowo told the graduands that already, the plan had been approved by the Federal Executive Council, adding that a committee under the chairmanship of the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, had been set up for its effective implementation.
He said, “The zero-to-export programme is aimed at achieving specific objectives, which include development of new exporters from zero knowledge to a point of export readiness, equipping exporters using practical hand holding approach, field training and mentorship to building a new crop of indigenous exporters.
“The council’s zero-oil plan is the flagship programme aimed at mobilising public and private resources towards replacing oil as the number one source of foreign exchange.
“The programme equally has a vision of growing non-oil exports from $1.2bn in 2016 to $8bn in 2019 and eventually $25bn by 2025.”
The NEPC boss said the Federal Government was committed to the development of the non-oil export sector as the last defence of the economy.
He expressed optimism that the performance of the graduands in the area of export business would serve as a guide to the council whether to continue with the programme or drop it.
“This is the major reason why we are serious about full participation of the programme,” he said.
