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.Targets over 8,000 youths in four years
The Federal government has concluded plans to increase non-oil export earnings through the youth for export programme put in place by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
The youth for export programme is another critical intervention of the council that seeks to unlock the potential of Nigerian youths in the export sector and is expected to prepare young people to participate effectively in the global export market.
Executive Secretary, NEPC, Dr. Ezra Yakusak, disclosed this yesterday at the official launch of the youth for export programme (YEP) in Abuja.
He said the programme aims at empowering over 8,000 youths in next four years, building capacity of youth activities, and is expected to address challenges such as knowledge gaps in export business, poor access to finance, limited access to markets and inadequate trade information, among others, that had posed serious challenges to Nigerian exports over the years.
Yakusak said: “The underlying objectives of the programme is to train Nigerian youths to acquire the necessary training and skills needed to participate effectively in the export value chain, create a platform that demystify fear, risk and uncertainties usually associated with export for youth entrepreneurs while providing opportunity for youths to showcase their talents and abilities to participate in the export market space, among others.”
In his goodwill message, a senior officer representing the Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM), Mr. Bwari Yusuf said the programme is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement put together by NEPC, NEXIM and the Neenab Foods Limited as a major programme implementing partner.
Yusuf said, “As financial sponsors, the bank has so far disbursed no less than $900,000 export cash to 200 youths that participated in the programme in the last two years.”
On his part, the Director-General, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Y. D. Ahmed promised to mobilise corps members to key into the programme and make them self-employed at the end of their service year.
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