Awolowo Has Made NEPC Successful Agency, Says Onyeama

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeri­an Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Se­gun Awolowo, has hailed the tremendous roles of Nigerian Missions abroad, describing them as key export enablers for the achievement of the Ze­ro-oil plan.

He disclosed this at the weekend when he hosted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on a cour­tesy visit to the NEPC Head­quarters, Export House, Abuja.

The Zero Oil Plan is a blue­print for a strategic non-oil ex­port led economic diversifica­tion agenda with an ambitious agenda that targets 20% of Ni­geria’s GDP to be attributed to non-oil exports and aimed at the realisation of at least $30 bil­lion in non-oil exports by 2025 and creating 500,000 additional jobs annually.

While presenting the Outstanding Export En­abler Award to the Minister, Awolowo stated that the award was in recognition of the col­laboration between NEPC and the ministry in driving the diversification of Nigeria’s export portfolio by deepening the ability of Nigeria’s foreign missions to facilitate export commercial diplomacy, collab­orate on opening up foreign markets for Nigerian products, providing international trade administration to support Ni­gerian companies get into tar­get markets and collaborating on setting up the Commercial Service Partner Programme.

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The export boss commend­ed the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ achievements, stating that missions abroad have been instrumental to driving the penetration of Nigerian non-oil products in their respective countries of assignment.

According to Awolowo, some of the success stories included the drive for Nigeri­an Cuisine Beyond Borders, a book by Ambassador Eniola Ajayi and the display of Cas­sanova Chips at the Nigerian embassy in Germany, among other promotion activities be­ing facilitated by foreign mis­sions abroad.

In his remarks, the minister praised Awolowo, saying he has made has made NEPC one of the most successful agencies in the country.

His words” :The NEPC re­mains a valued partner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and together, we are transform­ing Nigeria in a very concrete and sustainable way. The future of Nigeria lies in trade and NEPC is strategically placed to help Nigeria trade its way from pandemic to prosperity.”