NEPC, NANS unveil STEP-X as Nigeria’s non-oil exports hit $6.1bn

Charles Okonji

Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), in collaboration with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has launched the Students Trade, Entrepreneurship and Export Programme (STEP-X) to equip Nigerian students with the skills and certifications required to access international markets and promote non-oil exports.

The programme was officially unveiled in Lagos on Thursday as part of efforts to expand certified non-oil exports, promote entrepreneurship and accelerate job creation through mentorship and skills development.

Speaking at the launch, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, said STEP-X was designed to equip students with the practical knowledge, skills and certifications needed to benefit from opportunities in the global marketplace, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Ayeni disclosed that the programme, themed “From Campus to Global Market: Empowering Nigerian Students for Non-oil Export and Global Entrepreneurship,” would be replicated across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

She stressed that internationally recognised certification was critical to helping Nigerian exporters access specialised markets, comply with global quality requirements and compete effectively in international trade.

Highlighting Nigeria’s non-oil export performance, the NEPC chief executive said the country generated approximately $6.1 billion in non-oil export earnings in 2025, representing the highest value recorded for formally documented non-oil exports since the Council began keeping records.

According to her, the figure represented an 11.5 per cent increase over the $5.46 billion recorded in 2024, with 281 different products exported to 120 countries.

Ayeni also disclosed that NEPC conducted 728 training programmes in 2025, reaching 96,221 beneficiaries through its 36 state and regional offices.

She said the Council’s Go Global Certification initiative provided free international certifications to 210 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), bringing the total number of businesses certified under the initiative to more than 600.

“We have started another round of certifications, so if you have products, you can apply if you qualify,” she said.

The NEPC boss further highlighted the Council’s skills acquisition initiative, implemented through the Export Skill Acquisition Centre (ESAC) in partnership with Lelook, which is training women and young people in bag and shoe production at the Council’s Apapa office in Lagos.

According to her, more than 300 women and youths have already received training, while the programme aims to reach 1,000 beneficiaries.

She described the initiative as an opportunity to create jobs directly and promote entrepreneurship in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Ayeni also revealed that NEPC had onboarded more than 70 SMEs onto Jumia, an e-commerce platform, to improve the visibility of Nigerian-made products, reduce selling costs and create access to new markets through digital trade.

On export quality and standards, she said the Council had intensified training and retraining programmes in collaboration with the International Trade Centre to reduce the rejection of Nigerian products in foreign markets.

She explained that NEPC was implementing the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) 845 project to address the rejection of Nigerian sesame seeds and cowpeas in international markets.

According to her, the Kebbi sesame cluster had been selected as the pilot project, with plans to replicate the initiative across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Ayeni also highlighted the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, noting that NEPC was the only institution in Africa and one of only four institutions globally selected for the fund’s first phase.

She said 141 women-led businesses had benefited from training, mentorship and export-readiness support, alongside grants ranging from $5,000 to $30,000.

NANS backs initiative

Speaking on behalf of the NANS National President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, the association’s Secretary-General, Comrade Oladimeji Uthman Salawudeen, described STEP-X as a laudable initiative capable of helping students translate their academic experiences into viable businesses and international trade opportunities.

He said the programme would encourage students to look beyond conventional employment and develop the capacity to become employers of labour.

“We all understand that the four walls of our classrooms are 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 job seekers,” he said.

Salawudeen noted that many Nigerian students were already engaged in small-scale businesses, producing shoes, bags, clothing, fabrics, beads and local snacks such as kuli-kuli.

He expressed optimism that STEP-X would help such student entrepreneurs improve their products, meet export requirements and access international markets.

“With this programme, more Nigerian students would benefit immensely from international trade, which will also add to the country’s foreign exchange earnings,” he said.

The NANS secretary-general explained that the large turnout at the event reflected the students’ belief in the programme’s potential to address unemployment and expand economic opportunities for young people.

He commended Ayeni and the NEPC management for introducing the initiative, expressing confidence that it would encourage more students to embrace entrepreneurship and participate in the non-oil export sector.

The launch of STEP-X marks another effort to strengthen Nigeria’s non-oil export base by connecting student entrepreneurs with the knowledge, certification, mentorship and market access needed to compete in the global economy.