James Emejo in Abuja
Executive Director/Chief Executive, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Dr. Ezra Yakusak, said the council has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, and other stakeholders on a policy dialogue to create a gender-responsive public procurement policy for women-led businesses in the country.
Speaking at the NEPC 2023 International Women’s Day Exhibition and Symposium themed, “Breaking Barriers: Enhancing Inclusiveness and Creating Opportunities for Women in Non-Oil Export”, he said the deliberations had further led to a proposed gender-based procurement policy document which is currently being drafted to have women account for 30 per cent of government purchasing spend by 2026.
The NEPC boss added that a bill is being drafted to that effect.
He said the council’s quest to increase the participation of women in non-oil exports led to the launch of the Women in Export Development Programme in 2017 which created a Women in Export Unit and assigned women desk officers to provide support services for the 3,610 female exporters who are currently registered with NEPC, and other women entrepreneurs who are interested in non-oil export.
He pointed out that within the last 2 years, NEPC had fully sponsored 154 SMEs to acquire international voluntary certifications including a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), HALAL and ISO 22000, under the “Go Global Go Certification” project which was launched in 2021.
Yakusak said 125 of these SMEs were women-owned businesses which represented about 81 per cent of beneficiaries of the project.
He noted that the event was held to celebrate the achievements of women exporters as well as recognise their contributions to the development of the non-oil sector, in line with the federal government’s diversification agenda.
He said the theme also reflected the council’s commitment to supporting women-led businesses to build strong and sustainable export businesses, with products and services that can compete globally.
The NEPC chief executive, however, pointed out that the council had never been found wanting on gender-based issues, adding that presently, over 40 per cent of its staff are women.
