By Miriam Humbe
Executive Director/CEO of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, (NEPC), Dr. Ezra Yakusak has said that Nigeria’s non-oil export in the year 2022 stood at $4.820 Billion, the highest value in over 40 years.
The NEPC boss said this at the workshop targeted at onboarding businesses and exporters on the Africa Continental Trade Area, (AfCFTA)-Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) in Abuja.
He welcomed the special guest at the occasion, Secretary General of AfCFTA, His Excellency Wamkele Mene and Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, for finding time to attend the programme despite their tight schedules.
He said the workshop jointly organised by the Council and the AfCFTA, Coordinating Office, couldn’t have come at a better time in view of the declaration by the Heads of States and Government of the Year 2023 as the year for “acceleration of AfCFTA implementation”.
Yakusak said that the very important programme was aimed at enlightening, educating, networking and test running the Agreement on select companies from Nigeria.
The key objective of the event was to kick-start the process of preparing Nigerian exporters/businesses for onboarding to the Guided Trade Initiatives.
He said: “The NEPC as the apex organization for the development and promotion of non-oil export is strategically positioned to assist in providing the right platform for Nigerian companies to gain access in major markets especially in Africa in line with the objectives of AfCFTA.
“This figure comprised of over 200 different products ranging from Manufactured, semi-processed, solid minerals to raw agricultural products.”
Meanwhile, Yakusak said 122 countries imported from Nigeria.
He said that, of the top 10 importers of Nigerian products, no African/ECOWAS country made it to the top 10 list.
Yakusak said: “In fact, Nigeria’s export to Africa excluding ECOWAS for the year 2022 stood at $450 Million.
“A total of 58 different products were exported to 20 non-ECOWAS Countries and this was carried out by 144 Nigerian companies.”
He told the audience that the NEPC, with the supervision of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and collaboration of other stakeholders were working tirelessly to change this trajectory especially in the wake of the AfCFTA.
He said the Cairo, Lomé, Nairobi Export Trade Houses and the proposed one coming up in Johannesburg and the spearheading of Nigeria’s participation in trade fairs, solo exhibitions, trade missions etc. Were initiatives aimed at boosting non-oil export with Nigeria’s African neighbours and by implication, promotion of economic integration within Africa.
He said: “This collaborative effort with the AfCFTA Coordinating Office and other organizations, both public and private are targeted at encouraging intra Africa trade as well as increasing our presence and market share within the African continent.”
