Use Your Skills To Double Exports, NEPC Tells Graduates Of International Trade Programme

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has charged its newly certified staff to apply their professional knowledge in advancing Nigeria’s non-oil exports, particularly under the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).

The charge was delivered by the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, during the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2021 Level 4 Diploma in International Trade, held in Abuja.

The programme is a tripartite partnership between the NEPC, the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade (CIE&IT) of the United Kingdom.

Congratulating the graduands, Ayeni emphasised the strategic importance of the training, which covered critical areas such as business environment, finance of international trade, international marketing, and physical distribution.

“I am convinced that your capacity and competence as trade promotion officers have been greatly enhanced,” she said. “NEPC is poised to leverage this knowledge to double Nigeria’s non-oil exports in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”

She commended ITC for sponsoring the programme and CIE&IT for providing high-quality faculty, noting that such international collaborations are crucial to building a skilled workforce capable of driving export diversification in Nigeria.
Ayeni revealed that in the first quarter of 2025, Nigeria exported 197 different products valued at $1.791bn to 96 countries, with the United Kingdom standing out as one of the country’s top trading partners. She cited aluminium ingots, PET flakes, soybean meal, and foodstuffs as some of the major export items to the UK.

Highlighting the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS)—launched in 2023—Ayeni urged the graduates to seize the opportunity presented by the scheme, which removes tariffs on products such as sesame, fertiliser, and plantain.

“At a time when Nigeria is actively seeking alternative markets for sesame products, DCTS provides a viable opportunity. I challenge you to ensure Nigeria benefits fully from this scheme,” she stated.

She further called for deeper collaboration between ITC, the British High Commission, and CIE&IT to expand capacity-building initiatives, as NEPC looks to continue training more staff to support export growth.

Ayeni also pointed to the Council’s Export Mentorship Programme, driven by the NEPC Export Training Institute, which has trained over 2,400 mentees to date.

This initiative equips aspiring exporters with hands-on guidance and the practical skills required to succeed in international trade.

The NEPC boss expressed appreciation to ITC and the UK government for their support, urging the graduating staff to remain resilient, focused, and dedicated as they pursue careers in global trade.

“This is just the beginning,” Ayeni said. “Use your skills to double our non-oil exports and build Nigeria’s competitiveness on the global stage.”
The ceremony was attended by high-level dignitaries, including Pamela Cook-Hamilton, Executive Director of ITC; Madam Aissatou Diallo, Chief for Africa at ITC; Shaun Lake, Head of Learning at ITC; Kevin Shakespeare of CIE⁢ and Mujina Kaindama, representative of the British High Commission.

In her goodwill message, Diallo congratulated the graduands for undertaking the rigorous training.

She said, “This is no small feat, and I commend your dedication. This achievement is not just a personal milestone — it is a national asset because exports are not just a policy priority — they are an economic necessity.

“They are the bridge between local industries and global markets. They are the engines of job creation, industrial development, and foreign exchange stability. For Nigeria to truly thrive beyond oil, we must collaborate to build strong, sustainable, and diversified export value chains.

“The work of growing exports and value addition, and of linking Nigerian products and services to international markets is critical not only to Nigeria’s economic development but also for unlocking the full potential of the UK-Nigeria trade relationship.”

Use Your Skills To Double Exports, NEPC Tells Graduates Of International Trade Programme is first published on The Whistler Newspaper