Post by Trade Forum on Jun 14, 2021 10:44:30 GMT 1
Agro-Exports: One State, One Product Initiative To Yield $30 billion For The Federal Government Of Nigeria In 10 Years
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), is still insisting and reminding State Governors that the economy of the nation will be better if each of the 36 states of the federation will specialize in one exportable agricultural product and nurture it to maturity until it starts earning foreign exchange for the country.
The council is still insisting that the model is to bring about diversification of the economy in order to end the Federal government’s mono cultural dependence on oil all these past years with neglect of the non-oil sector.
This assertion was made by the regional head of NEPC, Joe Ita in Calabar, the Cross River state capital; at a one-day South-South stakeholders consultative forum for export clusters.
He said that NEPC developed this ‘Zero Oil’ plan in 2016 as a response to the recession that the country found itself in that year due to the crash of international oil prices.
With this plan the country will be preparing itself for a time when there will be no oil anymore in the Niger Delta or when oil will no more be relevant in the scheme of things in the world affairs.
He described the strategy as a plan through which the country will be boosting its foreign exchange receipts through the non-oil sector.
The country will initially target 22 products that are capable of generating $30 billion in foreign exchange a year.
Some of them are: cotton, rice, leather, gold, soya beans, cocoa, petrochemicals, palm oil, rubber, cement, tomato, banana, oranges, cashew, cassava, sesame seeds, avocado, and spices.
The strategy is to have one export product for each state from which Nigeria will be earning foreign exchange. He advised that each state coordinator should work closely with their state governments to drive the project.
Also, the Chief Promotion Officer of NEPC, Sylvia Onono Adeneye, said that the agency is willing at all times to help the state governments realize their non-oil export dreams.
The Cross River State Commissioner for Commerce, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong, urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to support the state in its quest for industrialization.
She stated that the state governor has a strong vision for the state’s success in export; and that is why he is developing a cargo airport, deep-seaport, and a 275 kilometer super highway all towards achieving the state’s exports goal.
Also deputy director of NEPC, Mrs. Pauline Ndulaka, stated during the implementation of the One state, one product (OSOP) value chain export development meeting through the National committee on export promotion in Uyo ( Akwa Ibom state capital) that the nation’s non-oil exports will reach $30 billion annually by the year 2025.
The NEPC Deputy Director added that Nigeria’s sole reliance on crude oil and gas exports has been the main reason of high volatility in our national economy.
But she stated that if properly implemented that the foreign exchange of the country from non-oil exports will rise to $30 billion annually in the next 10 years.
It is expected to create at least 500,000 extra jobs annually in order to lift Nigeria’s working population out of poverty.
She urged the state governments to focus their energy on products they have comparative advantage over other states and develop it for export.
For example, Akwa Ibom state has a lot of fresh coconut oil, cassava, seafood, palm fruits, iron ore, and others.
Both the federal and state governments should wake up and arrest the economic meltdown facing the country. The country’s import bill is rising annually without a corresponding increase in non-oil exports.
We can remember that 5 years ago, precisely in year 2016, immediately after the government of President Muhammadu Buhari took over power, The Executive Chairman of NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo unveiled the new project called ‘One state, one product’.
In fact the project was presented to all the representatives of all state governments of the Federation.
While addressing a team of technocrats driving exports in their various states at a parley, Awolowo said that the project was aimed at stirring each of the 36 state governments of the Federation to focus its energy on one product that it can develop for export.
The project was established to actualize the Zero Oil project of the Federal Government which will help develop the country’s non-oil sector and eventually the economy.
The country must start thinking as if oil does not exist any longer. Five (5) solid years after the launching of the project, what is the result?
Stay with us as we will bring to you the various levels attained by each state of the Federation on this issue in our subsequent articles.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), is still insisting and reminding State Governors that the economy of the nation will be better if each of the 36 states of the federation will specialize in one exportable agricultural product and nurture it to maturity until it starts earning foreign exchange for the country.
The council is still insisting that the model is to bring about diversification of the economy in order to end the Federal government’s mono cultural dependence on oil all these past years with neglect of the non-oil sector.
This assertion was made by the regional head of NEPC, Joe Ita in Calabar, the Cross River state capital; at a one-day South-South stakeholders consultative forum for export clusters.
He said that NEPC developed this ‘Zero Oil’ plan in 2016 as a response to the recession that the country found itself in that year due to the crash of international oil prices.
With this plan the country will be preparing itself for a time when there will be no oil anymore in the Niger Delta or when oil will no more be relevant in the scheme of things in the world affairs.
He described the strategy as a plan through which the country will be boosting its foreign exchange receipts through the non-oil sector.
The country will initially target 22 products that are capable of generating $30 billion in foreign exchange a year.
Some of them are: cotton, rice, leather, gold, soya beans, cocoa, petrochemicals, palm oil, rubber, cement, tomato, banana, oranges, cashew, cassava, sesame seeds, avocado, and spices.
The strategy is to have one export product for each state from which Nigeria will be earning foreign exchange. He advised that each state coordinator should work closely with their state governments to drive the project.
Also, the Chief Promotion Officer of NEPC, Sylvia Onono Adeneye, said that the agency is willing at all times to help the state governments realize their non-oil export dreams.
The Cross River State Commissioner for Commerce, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong, urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to support the state in its quest for industrialization.
She stated that the state governor has a strong vision for the state’s success in export; and that is why he is developing a cargo airport, deep-seaport, and a 275 kilometer super highway all towards achieving the state’s exports goal.
Also deputy director of NEPC, Mrs. Pauline Ndulaka, stated during the implementation of the One state, one product (OSOP) value chain export development meeting through the National committee on export promotion in Uyo ( Akwa Ibom state capital) that the nation’s non-oil exports will reach $30 billion annually by the year 2025.
The NEPC Deputy Director added that Nigeria’s sole reliance on crude oil and gas exports has been the main reason of high volatility in our national economy.
But she stated that if properly implemented that the foreign exchange of the country from non-oil exports will rise to $30 billion annually in the next 10 years.
It is expected to create at least 500,000 extra jobs annually in order to lift Nigeria’s working population out of poverty.
She urged the state governments to focus their energy on products they have comparative advantage over other states and develop it for export.
For example, Akwa Ibom state has a lot of fresh coconut oil, cassava, seafood, palm fruits, iron ore, and others.
Both the federal and state governments should wake up and arrest the economic meltdown facing the country. The country’s import bill is rising annually without a corresponding increase in non-oil exports.
We can remember that 5 years ago, precisely in year 2016, immediately after the government of President Muhammadu Buhari took over power, The Executive Chairman of NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo unveiled the new project called ‘One state, one product’.
In fact the project was presented to all the representatives of all state governments of the Federation.
While addressing a team of technocrats driving exports in their various states at a parley, Awolowo said that the project was aimed at stirring each of the 36 state governments of the Federation to focus its energy on one product that it can develop for export.
The project was established to actualize the Zero Oil project of the Federal Government which will help develop the country’s non-oil sector and eventually the economy.
The country must start thinking as if oil does not exist any longer. Five (5) solid years after the launching of the project, what is the result?
Stay with us as we will bring to you the various levels attained by each state of the Federation on this issue in our subsequent articles.
