NEPC's Ayeni Encourages Students to Pursue Non-Oil Exports

Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), called on Nigerian students to explore opportunities in the non-oil export sector during the launch of the NEPC-National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Student Trade, Entrepreneurship and Export Programme (STEP-X). The event, themed “From Campus to Global Market: Empowering Nigerian Students for Non-Oil Export and Global Entrepreneurship,” took place on Thursday.

Ayeni highlighted the importance of equipping students with the necessary skills to transform their ideas into export-ready businesses. She noted that Nigeria's youthful population is a significant economic asset and emphasized the need for these youths to harness their creativity for national development.

Ayeni reported that Nigeria achieved non-oil export earnings of approximately $6.1 billion in 2025, an increase from $5.46 billion in 2024, with 281 products exported to 120 countries. The NEPC conducted 728 training programs in 2025, reaching over 96,000 individuals, and provided international certifications to 210 SMEs under its Go Global Go Certification initiative.