Unlocking Growth Opportunities: How the Nigerian Export Promotion Council Empowers Innovative Businesses

Nigeria is rich with entrepreneurial talent and innovative businesses. To support their growth and diversification, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has rolled out several programs targeting underrepresented commodities and expanding Nigeria’s economic portfolio.

In the past 12 months, exports in textiles, consumer products, and food products have grown by 24%, doubling the profits of many Nigerian businesses. While the NEPC’s role is often overlooked, it remains a vital resource for entrepreneurs seeking growth.

1. Tiger Foods: Building Market Access and Compliance

Tiger Foods, a leading manufacturer of snack products, benefited significantly from NEPC’s export readiness programs. The council provided access to:

• Export readiness training

• Market intelligence

• Compliance advisory services

These resources were critical for meeting regulatory standards across West African markets.

Through NEPC-organized capacity-building workshops, Tiger Foods gained key insights into packaging standards, product labeling, and export documentation. These improvements helped the company align with regional trade requirements, reduced the risk of border rejections, and strengthened buyer confidence.

2. ReelFruit’s Export Growth: Leveraging Trade Fairs and Grants

ReelFruit, a dried fruit producer, utilized NEPC’s trade promotion activities and export grants to access new markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Participation in NEPC-facilitated international trade fairs provided exposure to global buyers and networking opportunities often challenging for SMEs to obtain independently.

NEPC’s export grant schemes helped ReelFruit overcome financial barriers to scaling, enabling investments in:

• Product certification

• Logistics improvements

These interventions enhanced ReelFruit’s export credibility and streamlined supply chain operations, leading to measurable export volume growth.

The Strategic Impact of NEPC

At HBL Analytica, we see NEPC as a trusted ally for SME growth. The successes of Tiger Foods and ReelFruit show that NEPC’s resources can be powerful drivers of economic diversification and job creation.

Yet, despite its potential, this “silver bullet” for export-led growth remains underutilized. More Nigerian SMEs must be encouraged to access NEPC’s programs to unlock their full potential in the global marketplace.