The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council(NEPC), Dr Ezra Yakusak, has disclosed that the non-oil sector has contributed over two billion dollars to the Nigerian economy in the first six months of this year.
Yakusak said the various non-oil products that were exported within the period stood at $2.593B as against the sum of $1.597B in the first six months of the year 2021 representing a 64.23% increase.
The Managing Director who was represented by the trade promotion adviser, Kebbi State office, Muhammad Siraju Dan-Alkali, further said the 2021 figure was also an increase to the first six months of the year 2020 which was $981.442 million.
The impressive non-oil export performance according to him can be attributed to, among others, NEPC’s new focus on strategic non-oil export programmes and initiatives such as grassroots export development.
While describing Nigeria’s economy as one that is oil-dependent for several decades, he said the uncertainties in the crude oil market have caused serious contractions in government revenue from oil with great consequences.
He said the country must therefore focus on the second line of defence, the non-oil export sector as a sure way of economic survival as a nation.
He reemphasized that the non-oil export sector must play a vital role in the economic diversification of the country, which he said has made the council raise export sensitization/awareness drive to a priority level in the non-oil export promotion process.
Earlier in his remarks, the trade promotion adviser, Sokoto State NEPC office, Ahmed S. Yahaya, said since the opening of the Sokoto office, the interest of the Onion producers and marketers has always been a priority.
While calling on the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), to work together with NEPC in taking the country to the rightful position in the onion global market.
Yahaya reiterated that Nigerian onions are still the best in the country while calling on marketers to make use of a special package for easy identification of their products in the global market.
Meanwhile, the NEPChas donated 30,000 pieces of the special bags to NOPPMAN to package onion for the export market.
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