NANS lauds NEPC on youth development empowerment

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has commended the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer (ED/CEO) of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs Nonye Ayeni, for her leadership qualities and passion for youth development and empowerment.

The secretary-general and leader of the delegation, Comrade Oladimeji Fodio, made the commendation during a courtesy call recently in Abuja.

Comrade Oladimeji commended the NEPC for deepening the non-oil export sector and exposing the youth and women to various opportunities available in the export value chain.

The secretary-general also called for partnership and collaboration with NEPC in the areas of export development and promotion, especially as it affects Nigerian students.

He emphasised that the youths constituted over 60% of the nation’s population and trained on different aspects of export value chains for economic development and growth.

According to him, the student body was ready to partner with NEPC to implement export programmes that will benefit its members and the youths.

Oladimeji solicited for training of Nigerian students on all aspects of export of products and services from Nigeria.

He said the training would equip the students with necessary export skills that would make it seamless for the students to venture into after graduation from the university.

He also requested for the establishment of export hubs in campuses across the six geo-political zones and deployment of staff that will be responsible for training and mentorship of students as far as export is concerned.

Oladimeji also proposed a national summit entitled, “Students Export & Entrepreneurship Initiative – From campus to global market with the theme ‘Empowering students for non-oil export and global entrepreneurship”.

According to him, the summit will have six pillars which include training, identification, develop, connect, exposure and skills.

Responding, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, ED/CEO thanked the Nigerian students for the visit and described the Nigerian youths as vibrant, passionate and entrepreneurial.

According to Ayeni, the Nigerian youths are part of Nigeria’s greatest strength and form a key component of the non-oil export ecosystem.

She assured the National Association of Nigerian students of the council’s readiness to partner with them.

The ED/CEO enumerated the various programmes and projects of the Council with direct impacts on the Nigerian youths such as the establishment of a dedicated Unit for women, youth and people living with disabilities.

She also informed the students of the council’s Export Skills Acquisition Centre (ESAC) established and facilitated in partnership with LeLook Academy to train Nigerian youths in the areas of garments and bag making.

According to her, the Centre has trained more than 1000 youths since inception and has produced high quality bags which have been exported to the international markets.

Ayeni also informed the leadership of the student union that the NEPC, in 2025 organised 728 capacity building programmes in 36 states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and over 10,000 beneficiaries.