The Nigerian Exports Promotion Council (NEPC) on Wednesday projected 40 percent increase of what it is earning from the country’s Shea butter sector .
During the Strategic conference and official launch of the Shea export development programme in collaboration with the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), Netherlands on value chain development of priority non-oil export products in Abuja, the Executive Director, Dr Ezra Yakusak explained that the project therefore is another effort at consolidating the prospects, potentials and opportunities of the Shea sector in Nigeria for export growth.
According to him, the launch of the Shea butter project is in line with the Federal Government of Nigeria diversification agenda for non-oil export development.
He further explained that the project which run from 2022-2025 will focus on critical stakeholders that this intervention will contribute to making a paradigm shift from the export of raw unprocessed sheanuts to higher value-added shea products.
According to him, the aspiration is to uniquely position shea products in the enormous global market which is driven by important factors such as; rising consumer awareness, increasing demand for natural and organic cosmetics without preservatives and chemicals.
He assured NEPC’s unflinching support to the sustainability of these projects and hereby reiterates its willingness to continue working with CBI and relevant partners.
Also, the Director, Policy and Strategy, NEPC, Mr Lawal Dalhat explained that NEPC and CBI have a common history of collaboration that spanned decades in the development and promotion of export in Nigeria.
He said the projects under these collaborations have been impactful as the SMEs involved are now players at the international market, specifically, the European market.
