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…laud strategic partnership on students’ export programme
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) National Secretariat has passed a vote of confidence in the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni.
The position was announced at a press conference held by the NANS National Secretary General, Comrade Oladimeji Uthman on Monday in Abuja.
NANS commended Ayeni for her commitment to economic diversification, youth empowerment and the creation of opportunities for Nigerian students through export development and entrepreneurship.
It also called on the Federal Government to strengthen NEPC’s institutional capacity to expand its interventions, deepen non-oil export development, and equip more young Nigerians with the practical skills required to participate in the global economy.
NANS described Ayeni’s leadership as “particularly noteworthy for its emphasis on expanding Nigeria’s non-oil export sector while recognising the enormous economic potential of young people, women and emerging entrepreneurs.”
It pointed to Nigeria’s non-oil export performance as one of the indicators of progress under her tenure.
According to figures presented by NEPC in January 2025, the country generated approximately $5.456 billion in non-oil export receipts in 2024, representing a 20.77% increase over the $4.517 billion recorded in 2023.
The volume of exported products also rose from 6.685 million metric tonnes in 2023 to 7.291 million metric tonnes in 2024.
NANS said the figures “reflect the wider efforts to strengthen non-oil exports, encourage value addition, and position Nigerian products for greater competitiveness in international markets.”
NANS said the collaboration between NEPC and NANS was of particular significance to the students’ community because it had translated the shared commitment to youth empowerment into a practical initiative.
Following an engagement between the NANS national leadership and NEPC management in September 2026, the two institutions advanced plans to expose Nigerian students to export development, entrepreneurship and opportunities across the non-oil export value chain.
During the engagement, NANS proposed the Student Trade, Entrepreneurship & Export Programme (STEP-X): From Campus to Global Market, designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to establish export-oriented businesses and compete in the international marketplace.
The proposal included the establishment of export hubs in tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, where students could access professional training, mentorship and technical guidance from NEPC.
That commitment led to the launch of the NEPC-NANS Student Trade, Entrepreneurship and Export Programme (STEP-X 1.0) in October 2026 in Lagos, under the theme, “From Campus to Global Market: Empowering Nigerian Students for Non-Oil Export and Global Entrepreneurship.”
NANS said the programme “represents an important step towards bridging the gap between academic training and practical economic participation.”
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It focuses on export readiness, international market research, documentation, product quality, packaging, digital trade and access to global markets.
“For NANS, this collaboration is significant because it recognizes Nigerian students not merely as beneficiaries of government policies but as potential exporters, business owners, innovators, employers and contributors to the country’s economic growth,” the association said.
Uthman appreciated Ayeni’s recognition of the role NANS can play in mobilising students nationwide, while NEPC provides the technical expertise and institutional experience required to develop their entrepreneurial potential.
NANS also acknowledged NEPC’s youth-development interventions, particularly its Export Skills Acquisition Centre, established in partnership with LeLook Academy to provide training in garment and bag production.
It noted that the council reported organising 728 capacity-building programmes across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2025, benefiting more than 10,000 young people.
While commending Ayeni, NANS called on the Federal Government to strengthen NEPC’s funding, technical resources and operational capacity by increasing the council’s budgetary allocation.
It said the support would enable NEPC to expand its programmes, strengthen export capacity, support small and medium-scale enterprises and position more Nigerian products competitively in international markets.
NANS also urged the government to support the expansion of export training and entrepreneurship programmes within tertiary institutions, including the development of functional export hubs across the six geopolitical zones.
It stressed that “the success of STEP-X 1.0 should be measured not only by its launch but also by its ability to reach students nationwide, nurture viable enterprises, facilitate access to export markets, and create sustainable economic opportunities.”
NANS said its vote of confidence in Ayeni “reflects its recognition of the Council’s reported achievements, its commitment to youth-focused interventions and the practical collaboration established between NEPC and NANS.”
It, however, maintained that “the confidence expressed must be matched by sustained delivery, accountability, wider participation and measurable benefits for Nigerian students.”
NANS called on students across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions to take advantage of legitimate entrepreneurship and export-development opportunities.
“The future of Nigeria’s economy cannot depend solely on the traditional search for white-collar employment. It must also be built on innovation, enterprise, productive skills, and the capacity to compete in an increasingly interconnected global economy.
“A student empowered with export knowledge today can become an employer, an exporter, and a contributor to national prosperity tomorrow,” it said.
