FG Pledges Commitment To Development Of Non-oil Export Sector

By Mathew Ayoola

The Federal Government says for Nigeria to overcome its current economic challenges and augmentation the foreign reserve, necessary attention must be given to the development of the nation’s non-oil export sector.

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima stated this in Abuja while declaring open the second National Conference on Non-oil Export organized by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, with the theme “Building a Sustainable National Economy through Non-oil Export”.

Senator Shettima who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole therefore called for effective public- private sector collaboration towards achieving the set objectives.

In a remark, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka – Anite who commended NEPC for the conference said the Ministry would put in place programmes and policies aimed at repositioning the nation’s economy.

Dr. Uzoka-Anite who noted that Non-oil export plays critical roles in national economic development also promised the present administration’s determination towards growing the Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs through necessary intervention and capacity building of stakeholders in the sector.

Earlier, the Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak said the conference is to further re-echo the Council’s message of the Export 4 Survival campaign on the need for Nigerians to imbibe an export culture for sustainable economic development.

“The theme of this year’s conference, “Building a Sustainable National Economy through Non-oil Export” was carefully chosen in view of the current economic realities of dwindling Government revenues and foreign exchange deficits which has proven beyond doubt that crude oil can no longer sustain our economy” He stated.

According to him, the path to sustainable growth is non-oil export and to align with the Federal Government’s renewed hope agenda, the NEPC is saying that all hope is not lost as the non-oil sector can salvage the nation’s economy and make it even stronger.

” I will not do justice to this address if I do not present the challenges being faced by farmers and exporters of ginger in Nigeria. It is a known fact that Nigeria’s ginger has been adjudged as the best in the world due its unique aroma, pungency and high oleorosin content and this makes Nigeria one of the largest exporters of ginger in the world but however, the Council received several complaints of the outbreak of a strange disease ravaging ginger farms in Kaduna State. So far, about 2,503.9 hectares of farmland have been affected with an estimated loss of over N8billion” He explained.

Dr Yakusak pointed out that with the outbreak of the disease, Nigeria’s non-oil export performance may experience a steep decline, except the issue is adequately addressed.

“Your Excellencies, May I stress that this is not the time for us to accommodate any minute disruption in our foreign exchange inflow. With the current state of the Naira, every single source of foreign exchange must be carefully and jealously protected and it is in this direction that I call on the Federal Government to declare the ginger fungi infestation as a crop pandemic and fight it with the same viciousness our nation fought covid- 19 pandemic to a stand still” the NEPC Boss added.

Edited By Grace Namiji