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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) will host the Student Trade, Entrepreneurship & Export Programme (STEP-X) to empower Nigerian students for non-oil export and global entrepreneurship.
The programme, themed “From Campus to Global Market: Empowering Nigerian Students for Non-Oil Export and Global Entrepreneurship,” is scheduled to hold on Thursday in Ikeja, Lagos.
According to NANS, STEP-X is designed to expose Nigerian students to opportunities in entrepreneurship, international trade and the non-oil export sector, and to reposition them from consumers of economic opportunities to creators, entrepreneurs, exporters and employers of labour.
The association said the initiative reflects its commitment to building a more informed, skilled, productive and economically empowered student community.
“The future of Nigeria’s economic prosperity cannot be built solely within conventional classrooms. While academic knowledge remains indispensable, the rapidly evolving global economy demands that young Nigerians acquire practical competencies in entrepreneurship, product development, market access, trade, export readiness, innovation and value creation,” NANS stated.
The programme comes at a time when Nigeria is intensifying efforts toward economic diversification and expansion of non-oil exports.
Speaking on the collaboration, the Secretary General, NANS National Headquarters, Comrade Oladimeji Uthman, said the initiative aligns with the secretariat’s vision of a student movement that contributes to national economic advancement.
“The Nigerian student of today must not only prepare for employment; we must also prepare our students to create employment, develop products, access markets and compete confidently in the global economy. The partnership between NANS and NEPC provides an important bridge between the campus environment and the enormous opportunities available in the marketplace,” Uthman said.
He added that empowering students with entrepreneurial and export-oriented knowledge is an investment in Nigeria’s future.
NANS noted that STEP-X is more than a conventional student engagement, but a call for students to think beyond certificates and position their creativity for relevance in the global economy — from agricultural and creative products to technology, manufacturing, fashion and digital enterprises.
The association urged student leaders, campus entrepreneurs, innovators, aspiring exporters and students across institutions to take advantage of the programme.
The NANS National Secretariat also commended the NEPC for its partnership and commitment to expanding awareness and participation in Nigeria’s non-oil export ecosystem.
