|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Export Competency Development Programme (ECD) of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) will stimulate Small and Medium-sized enterprises in low and middle-income countries to gain access to the European markets, Olusegun Awolowo, executive director, NEPC, said. Awolowo gave the information on Wednesday in Abuja at a day export round table on the export competency development programme.
The Export Competency Development model enables the application of principles of co-creation, knowledge transfer, skill transfer and action learning in building competencies of NEPC Coaches and SME pilot companies, focusing on three sectors, Sesame seed, Cocoa and Cashew and to apply the transferred methodology to other sectors and professionals.
The theme of the programme: “Facilitating Non-oil Export to EU Market through a Paradigm Shift in Policies and strategies” is a collaboration between the NEPC, Centre for the promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) and the Netherlands Embassy.”
READ ALSO: NEPC urges Aba entrepreneurs to formalize businesses to compete globally
Awolowo explained, “The Purpose of the programme is to build the capacity of SMEs in Nigeria and connect with businesses in the European food industry,” adding that the ECDP was designed to offer SMEs the capacity to add value to their products to attract higher margins and the ability for their supplies, in line with European demand.”
He also pointed out that the NEPC staff also undertook the export competency development programme through professional competency tests were some knowledge, skills and competency gaps were identified.
He said, “The Export competency programme was also tailored to fill those gaps by producing ‘Export Coaches’ out of NEPC staff. Today, make bold to say that 24 NEPC Staff have been trained as Export Coaches and 12 SME companies would soon be certified as export-ready to EU.”
Nigeria’s trade volume with the European Union currently stands at €19.9 billion, but analysts insist the trade deals would appreciate more as Nigeria works harder to expand its non-oil base working closely with the SME sub-sector.
In his earlier remarks, Garba Dikko of KD Food, an exporter, said the training had also afforded him matchmaking opportunities with some EU countries, on the demand of some key non-export products.
He suggested further to the government to ensure the sustainability of the programme to facilitate growth in Nigeria’s non-oil sec
HARRISON EDEH, Abuja
