NIGERIA WOMEN IN EXPORT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

On Friday, March 7 in Abuja, the United States Agency for International Development  in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Women in Export Programme hosted eight enterprising women entrepreneurs at an exhibition with representatives from Le Look, Shea Coco, Oluchi Gems, and Gurara Cosmetics in attendance.  The exhibition marked activities celebrating International Women’s Day 2014 in Nigeria.

Exhibitors came all the way from Lagos, Kano, Minna, and Nassarawa States.  Others were from the Federal Capital Territory.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council is United States Agency for International Development/Nigeria’s institutional partner, engaged in promoting export of agricultural and handcrafted products from Nigeria.  United States Agency for International Development and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2014 to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian entrepreneurs to improve the processing and marketing of products such as Shea, cashew, sesame, leather, garments, processed foods, cocoa, home décor, fruits and vegetables, and seafood products in the West African and American markets under the United States Agency for International Development-funded Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transportation project.
At the exhibition, products made from leather and local fabric—such as the hand-made bags, shoes, and cushions from Global Services—carpets, exotic gemstones and jewellery, cosmetics, and other items were on display.  Also, a wide variety of body creams, lotions, body washes, and anti-dandruff creams extracted from natural coconut and Shea butter oil were some of the fastest selling products at the exhibition.
In her opening remarks,  United States Agency for International Development Deputy Mission Director Julie Koenen thanked the eight women exhibitors for beautifying International Women’s Day “with this colorful display of products.”  She said United States Agency for International Development, in collaboration with Nigerian Export Promotion Council, had decided to organize the event to celebrate the achievement of women in Nigeria. Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, Nigeria qualifies for duty-free export to the United States of products such as dried fruit, boxed fruit juices, Shea butter, ethnic printed fabrics, leather hand bags and shoes, cashews (raw, roasted, salted), fish (frozen, dried, or smoked), and gum Arabic.  However, the country has yet to fully utilize the benefits of African Growth and Opportunity Act. With the United States Agency for International Development exhibition over, a new vista of opportunity might just be beckoning to these women entrepreneurs.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council  coordinator-Women in Export, Development Programme  Mrs Evelyn Obidike explained that the Council set up the Women in Export, Development Programme in tandem with achieving the Millennium Goal  which aim at mainstreaming gender perspective using relevant targeted support policies and services to empower Nigerian women’s capacity, Competence and Competitiveness in non-oil export trade.