The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has called for the restructuring of the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) Scheme to address outstanding liabilities and claims while strengthening support for Nigerian exporters.

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, made the call on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during a stakeholder engagement on the EEG Scheme held at the NEPC headquarters in Abuja.

Ayeni said the engagement was convened following a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address outstanding issues surrounding the scheme and review its structure. She added that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, had directed the NEPC to coordinate the engagement in collaboration with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Group (MANEG).

According to her, the EEG has historically served as an important instrument for supporting Nigerian exporters and improving the competitiveness of the country’s non-oil exports.

She said the Federal Government’s renewed focus on export growth, economic diversification and increased foreign exchange earnings made it necessary for the country’s export incentive framework to remain credible, transparent, sustainable and responsive to exporters’ needs.

‎The NEPC boss commended Nigerian exporters for their resilience and contribution to the growth of the non-oil export sector, noting that the country had recorded significant growth in the volume and value of non-oil exports, as well as the number of products and market destinations.

Ayeni also highlighted increased value addition across several sectors, including among small and medium-sized enterprises, describing the development as important to the country’s industrialisation drive, job creation and inclusive economic growth.

‎She acknowledged that outstanding liabilities and claims under the EEG required attention, stressing the need for a framework that would provide greater clarity, efficiency and confidence for exporters.

Ayeni assured stakeholders that the NEPC would work with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, MANEG, EEG beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders to properly document concerns and develop practical solutions for the scheme.

She said the engagement should go beyond identifying challenges to building consensus, agreeing on practical recommendations and establishing clear action points for a stronger and more effective export incentive framework.

Ayeni urged stakeholders to use the platform to provide concrete proposals that would ensure any future export incentive mechanism is transparent, measurable and aligned with the government’s economic and export development objectives.