Ekiti to Establish Export Hub to Boost Non-Oil Exports

The Ekiti State Government says it is set to establish an Export Hub as part of efforts to promote non-oil exports and expand economic opportunities for businesses in the state.

The Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Mrs Omotayo Adeola, disclosed this at the first quarterly meeting of the Ekiti State Committee on Export Promotion held in Ado-Ekiti.

Adeola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and Chairman of the committee, Pharm. Bunmi Ejimokun, said export promotion remained a key priority of the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.

She noted that achieving sustainable export growth required the active participation of government agencies, financial institutions, manufacturers, farmers, processors and development partners.

According to her, the state government, in partnership with Providus Bank, has approved a three-day export promotion training programme to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and skills required for export business.

The commissioner said non-oil exports were critical to economic growth, job creation, industrialisation and increased foreign exchange earnings.

She revealed that Ekiti recorded a 76.2 per cent increase in the number of businesses that obtained Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Export Registration Certificates in 2024, exceeding the 10 per cent growth target stipulated under the State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme.

“This achievement demonstrates that more businesses in Ekiti are embracing opportunities in international trade,” she said.

Adeola, however, stressed the need for the state to harness its untapped export potential through value addition rather than the export of raw materials.

She called for increased investment in processing, packaging, branding and certification of export products.

“Every tonne of processed cocoa exported from Ekiti generates far greater economic value than raw cocoa beans. The same principle applies across our agricultural and mineral value chains,” she said.

Also speaking, the State Coordinator of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs Emily Otoide, represented by Mr Iorwuese Al, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting export development initiatives in the state.

The representative of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Oluwatoyin Adeyemi, highlighted the agency’s regulatory role and assured stakeholders of its support in ensuring proper registration and certification of export products.

Similarly, the representative of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Joseph Oluwafunsho, underscored the importance of quality standards and certification in export trade.

He urged producers and manufacturers to adhere to best practices and advocated the establishment of a central storage system to improve product quality.

The Chief Executive Officer of Youth Cooperating Out of Poverty Organisation, Mr Isaac Anifowose, identified limited access to finance and production facilities as major constraints facing young farmers.

Anifowose commended Gov. Oyebanji for providing subsidised agricultural inputs and called on financial institutions to make funding more accessible to farmers.

Representatives of Wema Bank, Providus Bank, Premium Trust Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank pledged support for the state’s export promotion agenda through funding, capacity building and training programmes.

Earlier, the Director of Export in the ministry, Mrs Deborah Aje, outlined the mandate and objectives of the committee and urged farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices to improve productivity and product quality.

She assured stakeholders that the committee would continue to monitor and coordinate farmers, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and manufacturers to ensure compliance with export standards and certification requirements.

Among those present at the meeting were the Director of Produce in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Oluremi Oguntuase, the representative of the Palm Oil Producers Association, Mr Sunday Olaiya, and other stakeholders in the export value chain.