Over 100 Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME) have received export certifications to qualify them for the export of their products, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), disclosed on Sunday in Jos, Plateau State.
The Executive Director of NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak, revealed the development while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Yakusak, who visited the Plateau regional office of the council, commended the team for effectively managing and executing the mandates of the organisation.
He also praised the office for its efforts in empowering and sensitising the public to the opportunities in export.
On some developments in the sector, the ED noted that the organisation had addressed some of the limitations to the export business with the Introduction of the “Go Global Go certification” programme.
He added that more than 100 MSME’s have had their certifications facilitated and totally paid for by the Export Promotion Council.
“I need to also say that at the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, we have done several interventions to ensure that we promote the export of non-oil goods from Nigeria.
“One of the key things we’ve embarked on, is a programme called “Go Global Go Certification”.
“And that programme is where we identify the various MSMEs with potentials and those that have products that need to be exported.
“And we actually pay for the certification of those products because most of the cases of export rejected from Nigeria is due to non-certification of those products.
“We identify those MSMEs and we invite various certifying bodies both within and outside Nigeria.
“They come here and check through their processes of production and they certify them and so far, we have certified about 101 various MSMEs now.
Yakusak noted that though 101 might seem like a small number, the cost of each the certifications done was totally borne by the NEPC, some of which costs over one million nairas, depending on the type.
“Some of them like ISO costs up to one million, one million plus and if you multiply that by 100 each you know how much you’ve put in.
” And everything in terms of the financial cost was borne 100 per cent by NEPC.
“And of course, that has increased our exports and increased the chances of those MSMEs exporting into the international market.
“It has also given a competitive edge to our products. These are some of the things we are doing to ensure that Nigerian products are out there.
