NEPC Prepares Non-oil Exporters For European Market Deals
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council has said it is sentising and preparing non-oil exporters for opportunities in the European market.
A statement on Sunday entitled, “NEPC sensitise non- oil exporters as Europe offers mega opportunities,” said this was disclosed during a one-day sensitisation for non-oil exporters to prepare them to explore multimillion naira opportunities in the European market.
It said the exercise was in collaboration with Free On Board Global Logistics.
Representing the Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer, NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, the South West Regional Coordinator, Mr Samuel Oyeyipo, mentioned that non-oil exporters were been sensitised to maximise the multimillion naira purchase order from Europe secured by FOB Global Logistics.
This will enable them to ship out fresh fruits and vegetables of about 30 tonnes per week in sliced ugu, water leaf, bitter leaf, garlic and ginger, sweet potatoes, oha, ewedu and yam among others, he said.
He said, “The programme is in line with NEPC’s vision on zero oil policy to promote the export of non-oil commodities in Nigeria.
“So, we encourage vegetables and fresh fruit exporters to ensure that their products are covered with the phytosanitary certificate issued by the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service to avoid rejection of their products at the terminal market.”
He called on exporters to scale up production in order to benefit from export incentive called the Export Expansion Grant being administered by the council.
Presently, he said, the NEPC was also working with NICERT and United States Agency for International Development to assist MSMEs with product certifification under Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point.
He said it was an optional and non- mandatory certification, but had an advantage to the exporters by increasing the acceptability of their products especially in the European market.
Addressing exporters, the Managing Director, FOB Global Logistics, Oluwajimi Adebakin, assured them that FOB Global Logistics was poised to ensure that their goods were delivered safely to any destination intended by exporters.
Adebakin called on the Federal Government to look into every impediment that hampered export business, adding that banks should do their bid in a less cumbersome manner as they assist SMEs with loans, grants and other support services.
