Nigeria earned N345bn from non-oil exports in 12 months – NEPC

Posted by admin Headlines Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

The Federal Government raked in $2.3bn (N345bn) as proceeds from non-oil exports between January and December 2010.

The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr. David Adulugba, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Adulugba, who was represented by the Director, Trade Information, NEPC, Mr. Aliyu Lawal, said the figure represented a 35 per cent increase over $1.7bn realised in the same period of 2009.

Adulugba, however, noted that 67 per cent of the country’s non-export earnings were from the exportation of agricultural produce.

He said, “Nigeria has earned $2.3bn from non-oil exports in 2010. This figure represents about 35 per cent increase when compared with $1.7bn recorded in 2009.

“The bulk of the country’s non-oil export earnings in 2010, representing 67 per cent, are from the exportation of agricultural produce. From the results we have collated so far, there are greater prospects for the year 2011.”

Adulugba noted that the Federal Government was partnering the World Trade Organisation on expanding the country’s export of sesame seeds and shea nuts.

He said, “NEPC is collaborating with the WTO in order to expand Nigeria’s exports of sesame seeds and shea nut through improved sanitary and phytosanitary capacity building for the private and public sectors. The project is aimed specifically at addressing some urgent needs related to quality control in the supply chain of sesame seed and shea butter in Nigeria to the level that meets the requisite SPS standards of importing markets, especially the European Union and the United States.”

As part of efforts aimed at increasing the country’s export to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the NEPC boss said the agency was working out modalities that would give Nigerian entrepreneurs increased access to the US market.

He said, “The inability of Nigerian entrepreneurs to maximise the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act that was signed into law 11 years ago is regrettably worrisome. Market access to the US market is not the only problem militating against Nigeria’s export to the US, but also infrastructure.

“Currently, we are working out strategies that will open new markets for our locally-produced goods in the international market. In order to provide capacity for our small and medium-scale entrepreneurs with a view to making our products more competitive in the international market, NEPC, in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, plans to establish Common Facility centres across the country.”

He added, “NEPC will establish a CFC in Kano to take care of leather and garment production, while a centre will also be established in Benue State to cater for storage, quality, packaging and phytosanitary requirements of agricultural produce.

“The foundation for increase in the basket of exportable products from Nigeria lies in the revitalisation of the agricultural and manufacturing sectors of our economy. Both sectors play a key role in sustaining our economic growth through multiplier effects on the economy.”

-Punchwp_posts