Spice export: NEPC trains Kebbi women entrepreneurs on spice value chain
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has trained 105 women-owned businesses in spice value chain to increase their awareness of opportunities in the export market in Kebbi.
The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer (ED/CEO), Dr Ezra Yakusak made this known at a one-day capacity building programme organised by the council on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi.
He said, “Nigeria is blessed with an array of spices that are used both locally and internationally for the production of food, perfumes medicines among others.
Spice export: NEPC trains Kebbi women entrepreneurs on spice value chain
“According to a report from Trade Economy, Nigeria exported N20 million worth of ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices in 2020, which accounts for 0.059 per cent of total exports from Nigeria.
“The spices sector has the potential to generate more foreign exchange for the nation but this can be achieved if the value chain operators conform to the requirements of the international market.”
Yakusak, represented by the Adviser and Kebbi Export Assistant Office, NEPC, Alhaji Muhammad Sirajo-DanAlkali said the training was aimed at building the capacity of women in the spice sector to increase their awareness of opportunities in the export market.
“Women have an active role in the cultivation, gathering, processing, marketing and distribution of spice. They need to understand the importance of maintaining good agricultural practices, manufacturing practices, sustainability and traceability of their products.
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“The NEPC is committed to empowering women by increasing their participation in international trade.
“The council has women in Export Division with desk officers at the headquarters and in all the state offices to ensure that women entrepreneurs across the country have access to facilities that would enhance their export businesses,” he said.
According to him, NEPC is also collaborating with the International Trade Centre (ITC) on SheTrade Initiative launched in 2016.
The objectives, he said was also to connect 200,000 women entrepreneurs from Nigeria to the global market.
“This is part of a broader goal of incorporating three million women worldwide in international trade.
“The women in export division and the SheTrade Nigeria Hub have empowered more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs through various capacity building programmes.
“We, therefore, encourage the women in the state to leverage on theses platforms to develop their export businesses,” he said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry for Women Affairs, Hajiya Aishat Maikurata, said the state government had secured office accommodation and established a harmonious working relationship with the state committee on export promotion.
“The goal of the NEPC is in agreement with the state government’s effort to transfer women in business across the state,” she said.
Maikurata urged the participants to utilise the training in order to change the status of spices value chain in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the Chairperson state Exporters Association, Hajiya Sa’adatu Haruna-Ilo, thanked the NEPC for organising the training to share their experience and exchange ideas on contemporary issues.
“This training will create new ideas, new innovations and strategies on how to address the challenges we face in order to promote the economic growth and development,” she said.
Haruna-Ilo assured that the participants would take advantage of policies to ease their way of businesses in the state.
