NEPC Targets Diaspora to grow Non-oil Exports

• NEPC Targets Diaspora Nigerians to grow Non-oil Exports

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council is seeking the support of Nigerians in the Diaspora to boost the country’s non-oil exports.

The Executive Director, NEPC, Mr. Segun Awolowo, stated this on Monday in Abuja during a meeting with members of the Nigerian Initiative Economic Development.

The NIED is made up of Nigerian-Americans who are currently in the country to support the diversification plans of the Federal Government through massive investments in agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals and transportation.

Awolowo said the NEPC would work with members of the NIED to actualise the vision of the government to make Nigeria an economy that could survive without oil revenue.

This, he added, would be achieved through the Nigerian Diaspora Export Programme.

He said the vision of the NEPC was to replace oil as a major national foreign exchange earner by growing non-oil exports to $30bn in the next 10 years.

He said the volatility in the oil market had made it imperative for the government to look inwards, adding that Nigeria could no longer depend solely on oil revenue for implementation of government’s programme.

The NEPC boss said between 2014 and 2016, the country recorded a total oil revenue shortfall of $40bn.