By Our Correspondent
The Federal Government has inaugurated the Export Skills Acquisition Centre (ESAC) under the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to enhance capacity building for the youths and women.
TheNewsZenith reports that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, announced this at the inauguration of the centre on Friday in Lagos.
ESAC also house the Fashion Innovative Hub for Women and Youths.
according to the minister, NEPC, in collaborate with Lelook Nigeria Ltd., established the ESAC. This is to facilitate skill development in innovative bag-making and related accessories.
“I am delighted to witness this event, targeted at building the capacity of the youth and women in innovative bag-making among other accessories,” she said.
The minister commended the NEPC for establishing ESAC. She described it as a crucial step aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The agenda, Uzoka-Anite said, aimed at economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation.
Highlighting the initiative, the minister said Africa’s young population, by projection, will reach 1.3 billion by 2050.
“This peopupation demography would account for more than a third of the world’s youth, according to United Nations estimates.
“By 2050, the United Nations estimates that more than a third of the world’s young people will live in Africa,” she added.
The Minister said that given the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), there is no better time to kick-start the project than now.
Uzoka-Anite said AfCFTA reports also indicated that the African fashion industry would be worth $31 billion. The global fashion industry is estimated to hit $2.5 trillion.
The minister, however, acknowledged the challenges facing African fashion designers compared to their Western counterparts.
She said the government established ESAC to tackle these challenges hindering export growth and economic diversification.
“The centre will provide training that empowers our youth, entrepreneurs, and small business owners with the necessary tools for success in the export sector,” she explained.
Earlier, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director of the NEPC, expressed gratitude to the minister for inaugurating the centre.
Ayeni assured attendees that under the “Double Your Exports” campaign, the council would facilitate their training.
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It would also subsequent facilitate the export of their products from the Lelook factory.
She said that the ESAC would enhance non-oil exports by increasing the export of value-added products from Nigeria.
This will enhance job creation and inspiring Nigerians, especially youth and women, to adopt an export culture.
“The global Bags and Accessories e-commerce market will grow significantly.
“It will reach approximately $228.21 billion by 2024 and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7 per cent by 2028.
“As a sub-market, it accounts for 18.2 per cent of the global fashion market,” TheNewsZenith quoted Ayeni as saying.
She urged the exporting community to take advantage of the opportunities presented by Lelook Bags under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
This is especially in light of the AfCFTA, which offers a market size of $1.3 billion.
Mrs Chinedu Ezenwa, Chief Executive Officer of Lelook, emphasised the importance of equipping women and youth with the necessary skills.
This is to enable them leverage opportunities like the AfCFTA and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Ezenwa, a septuagenarian, shared her personal motivation for developing these skills.
She said she was inspired by her brother who, despite his disabilities, succeeded in the business abroad.
“I urge other states to partner with Lelook to help Nigeria become a hub for exporting fashion products worldwide,” she said,
In a message to the occasion, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, highlighted the state’s efforts to engage 3,000 youths by providing skill acquisition programmes.
TheNewsZenith reports taht Mr Akinyemi Ajigbotefe, the Commissioner for Job Creation and Wealth, represented the governor.
He said the Lagos State Government had paid three months’ salary to youths during their training.
“We have empowered them successfully,” Sanwo-Olu said.
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