NEPC urges South East youth to explore international markets, promote MSME

The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has urged youths in the South East to leverage on the abundant raw materials in the zone to explore the international market and make a living.

The Executive Director of NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, made the call in Enugu on Thursday while declaring open a training for youth on how to embark on export of goods and services to international markets.

The executive director said that the training was part of the council’s mentorship programme aimed at promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.

He said that the council was not unmindful of the resourcefulness of youths in the South East but sad that such had not resulted into export of goods and services.

Awolowo, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Export Development and Incentives, NEPC, Mrs Esther Ikpeora, said that there was a great need for that to change.

Awolowo said that the NEPC had the responsibility of offering technical advice to entrepreneurs in order to make their products to penetrate the international market.

He said that the council had designed a programme to tailor the talent of youths to more rewarding areas.

Awolowo said that the process included creating entrepreneurs that would compete favourably with the rest of the world in the international market.

Also, the Special Assistant to Enugu State Governor on Agriculture, Mr Mike Ogbu, said that the state government had registered a wide range of agricultural products that could be exported.

Ogbuekwe said that the training would open the eyes of the trainees on the opportunities in the international market, adding that the state government was ready to assist in any way possible.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the South-East Regional Coordinator of NEPC, Mr Arnold Jackson, said that the essence of the training was to get as many youths as possible into export business.

Jackson said that it had become necessary to organise such training due to the numerous trade opportunities in the state.

He said that the trainees needed to take advantage of the diversification policy of the Federal Government to participate in international market.

Our correspondent reports that Thursday no fewer than 100 youths from the state attended the training.