The NEPC Regional Coordinator in charge of South East and North East, MacFred Ileoghen, made this known during the one-day workshop organized for members of the Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, NASME, Ebonyi State chapter and other groups in Abakaliki.
Ileoghen, who was the resource person for the workshop on "Export Procedure and Documentation," expressed worry that even though Ebonyi has a lot of exportable products and opportunities it still has no record in the export database.
"I came in yesterday and had time to interact with some government officers in Ebonyi State. I visited some industrial areas in Ebonyi State which proved to me that Ebonyi State is a virgin bride for investors with lots of exportable products and opportunities.
"However, in the export database, there has not been any record of export from Ebonyi State," he said.
The resource person encouraged participants of the program to explore the export opportunities, saying "that it is a very lucrative venture which will shore the image of Ebonyi State faster to the international community."
He expressed gratitude over the large turnout of the NASME members who participated in the training.
The NEPC State Manager, Chief James Ajayi, was equally elated by the interest shown by the NASME members in the export business.
The NASME Chairman in Ebonyi State, Mr Joseph Erish commended the NEPC team for organizing the workshop for the members of his association alongside other business organizations and expressed optimism that they would utilize the knowledge acquired during the training program to change the ugly narrative associated with the state in the exportation of goods.
Erish commended his members for their massive turnout for the training, noting that many of them had exportable products but only needed financial assistance to actualize their business targets in the state.
He said that many of the NASME members in the state has registered their products with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC and Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, and expressed confidence that in no distant future Ebonyi would become the next industrial hub, East of the Niger.
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