A food science student can develop export-ready food products. A fashion designer can build internationally recognised clothing and leather brands. Software developers can export digital solutions and technology services. Students studying engineering, agriculture, accounting, logistics, marketing and business administration all possess skills that can support different stages of the export value chain.
Every year, thousands of young Nigerians graduate from universities and polytechnics with degrees, ambition and hope, only to confront an economy unable to absorb them into meaningful employment. For many, the search for work becomes a frustrating journey marked by uncertainty and dwindling opportunities.
Yet, there is another pathway that deserves greater attention. Rather than waiting for jobs, many young Nigerians could be creating businesses that serve customers far beyond the country’s borders — if they are introduced early enough to the opportunities in export trade.
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This is why the recent proposal by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) deserves serious consideration.
During a courtesy visit to the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, the student body proposed a nationwide initiative to equip students with practical knowledge in export trade and entrepreneurship, including the establishment of export hubs across tertiary institutions in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
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Far from being another youth empowerment initiative destined to end with speeches and photographs, the proposal has the potential to reshape how Nigerian students prepare for life after graduation. If thoughtfully implemented, it could nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs capable of transforming local products, services and ideas into globally competitive businesses.
For decades, conversations about youth development have revolved almost exclusively around employment. While job creation remains essential, the export economy offers an equally important alternative — one that encourages innovation, enterprise and wealth creation, rather than dependence on salaried employment alone.
The need for such a shift is increasingly evident.
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According to the National Bureau of Statistics, 14.4 per cent of Nigerians aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training during the first quarter of 2024. Behind this statistic are millions of young people whose talents remain underutilised, despite possessing the creativity and energy needed to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
At the same time, Nigeria’s non-oil export sector is demonstrating encouraging signs of growth.
In 2025, the country recorded its highest-ever non-oil export earnings of approximately $6.1 billion, up from $5.46 billion in 2024. Export volume increased to more than eight million metric tonnes, while Nigerian products reached 120 countries, with 281 export commodities finding markets around the world.
These figures demonstrate that global demand for Nigerian products already exists.
The challenge is ensuring that more young Nigerians are equipped to participate in that growing market.
The opportunities extend far beyond agriculture.
A food science student can develop export-ready food products. A fashion designer can build internationally recognised clothing and leather brands. Software developers can export digital solutions and technology services. Students studying engineering, agriculture, accounting, logistics, marketing and business administration all possess skills that can support different stages of the export value chain.
What many lack is not talent but exposure.
Well-designed campus export hubs could bridge this gap by introducing students to export documentation, product development, quality standards, certification, packaging, branding, international payments, logistics, market intelligence and buyer engagement.
More importantly, such centres should connect promising student entrepreneurs with experienced exporters, financial institutions, regulators and international buyers.
That would be far more impactful than yet another seminar where participants collect certificates before returning to business as usual.
The objective should be clear: to help students transform innovative ideas into commercially viable export businesses.
Fortunately, NEPC is not starting from scratch.
The Council has already established the Export Skills Acquisition Centre in partnership with LeLook Academy to train young Nigerians in garment and bag production. Through its Export Mentorship Programme, aspiring exporters are paired with experienced practitioners to accelerate learning through practical guidance.
According to Mrs Ayeni, the Council also organised 728 capacity-building programmes across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2025, benefiting more than 10,000 participants.
The proposed university export hubs can build upon these existing initiatives rather than duplicate them.
Equally important is the recognition that Nigeria’s export opportunities vary significantly across regions.
With the National Universities Commission listing 328 universities — comprising 77 federal, 69 state and 182 private institutions — the country already possesses a broad educational network capable of supporting export education nationwide.
However, these hubs should not operate on a uniform model.
As I argued in an earlier article, “NEPC and Kano’s Push to Unlock the North’s Export Potential,” institutions in Kano and the wider North-West should leverage regional strengths in sesame, grains, leather, textiles and agricultural commodities. Universities in the South-West may focus on manufacturing, technology, fashion, processed foods and creative industries, while other regions can build programmes around their unique comparative advantages.
Export education should therefore combine national strategies with local economic realities.
Nigeria does not suffer from a shortage of exportable products.
In 2025 alone, cocoa beans generated nearly $2 billion in export earnings, followed by urea, cashew nuts, sesame seeds and gold dore.
Yet, the country’s greatest opportunity lies not simply in exporting raw commodities but in adding value through processing, packaging, certification, branding, and innovation.
That is where young professionals can make the greatest impact.
The food technologist can improve product quality and shelf life. The digital marketer can connect Nigerian products with international consumers. The software developer can create e-commerce platforms. The accountant can strengthen financial systems. The entrepreneur can integrate these skills into successful export businesses.
Modern export success depends on multidisciplinary collaboration.
It requires much more than farmers and traders. It demands professionals who understand global markets, international standards and the commercial value of Nigerian innovation.
Nevertheless, Nigeria’s long history of youth empowerment initiatives offers an important lesson.
Training statistics are easy to publicise. Sustainable enterprises are much harder to build.
The proposed Students Export and Entrepreneurship Initiative: From Campus to Global Market should therefore be assessed not by the number of workshops organised but by measurable outcomes — new businesses established, export-ready products developed, certifications obtained, trade partnerships secured and successful international transactions completed.
The framework proposed by NANS — covering student identification, capacity building, exposure, mentoring and market linkage — provides a solid foundation.
But each stage must naturally progress to the next: training should lead to product development; product development to certification; certification to market access; and market access to sustainable exports.
Mrs Ayeni has rightly described Nigerian youths as a critical component of the country’s non-oil export strategy.
The real challenge now is converting Nigeria’s demographic advantage into productive commercial capacity.
Universities should no longer be viewed solely as institutions that prepare students for employment. They should also become centres where future exporters, innovators and globally competitive entrepreneurs are nurtured.
Nigeria has already demonstrated that its products can compete in markets across 120 countries.
The next step is ensuring that more young Nigerians understand how to take both their products — and their skills — to those markets.
Somewhere on a Nigerian campus today is a student with an innovative product, a creative service or a transformative business idea capable of attracting customers in London, Dubai, Nairobi, Accra or Tokyo.
What may be missing is not talent, ambition or determination.
It is simply the bridge between the classroom and the global marketplace.
Kabir Abdulsalam writes from Suleja, Niger State. He can be reached via [email protected].
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