STEP-X: Building Nigeria’s next generation of exporters, By Kabir Abdulsalam

…the ambition behind STEP-X: to make the journey from campus to the global marketplace shorter and more achievable. The real test is whether the programme can provide students with the knowledge, resources and commercial connections to complete that journey.

In April 2020, Forbes Africa named Uzair Essack, a young South African entrepreneur, among its 30 Under 30 honourees. His achievement was built on an export business he started while studying at the University of Cape Town. An inquiry from a Saudi Arabian buyer for pineapples led to his first shipment.

Essack sourced the fruit, fulfilled the order and recognised the potential of exporting South African produce to international markets. That opportunity eventually grew into CapeCrops, a fresh-produce business serving customers across multiple countries.

What makes Essack’s story relevant to Nigeria is that he began building the business while still a student. He did not wait for graduation to explore international trade. He identified an opportunity and acted on it.

That is the kind of possibility worth considering as Nigeria seeks to connect its students with the non-oil export economy.

In my earlier article, “From Campus to Global Markets: Why Students Should Learn to Export,” I argued that Nigerian campuses should produce not only graduates searching for jobs but also entrepreneurs capable of taking Nigerian products and services to international markets. The piece, triggered by the engagement between the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) offered a pathway towards that ambition.

Recently, the council launched the Students Training Entrepreneurship Export Programme (STEP-X) given the idea of its first practical expression. At the event, the NEPC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nonye Ayeni, declared that the real challenge is turning young people’s energy into productive economic activity.

“Young people are not only the future; they are the drivers of tomorrow’s economy,” Ayeni said, describing them as potential agents of change capable of influencing Nigeria’s economic direction.

Her message captures both the promise of STEP-X and the responsibility that comes with it.

Across Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, students are developing products and services in agriculture, agro-processing, fashion, textiles, technology, creative industries and digital services. Yet many remain unfamiliar with the international markets that could provide opportunities for their businesses to grow.

Ayeni acknowledged that limited knowledge of export procedures, documentation, quality standards and certification prevents many young entrepreneurs from exploring these opportunities.

“Our goal is to make the journey from a hostel room or a campus workshop to the international market shorter, clearer and achievable,” she said.

That ambition is timely. A student producing leather bags may have a promising product but lack knowledge of international pricing, packaging requirements or shipping costs. An agricultural entrepreneur may need certification and reliable logistics before entering a foreign market. For both, a promising idea is only the beginning; commercial success requires the ability to meet buyers’ expectations.

STEP-X is designed to address these knowledge gaps by equipping students with entrepreneurship and export skills, including market research, export readiness, documentation, packaging and international standards.

More than 250 students from higher institutions in Lagos and Ogun states participated in the maiden edition with the plan to replicate the programme across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The initiative has made a promising start. The next task is to ensure that expansion translates into practical support for students seeking to establish export-ready businesses.

The economic context reinforces the importance of this effort. NEPC reported that Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings reached approximately $6.1 billion in 2025, up from $5.46 billion in 2024. The country exported 281 products to 120 countries during the period.

These figures demonstrate that Nigerian products already have a presence in international markets. The challenge is to widen participation, particularly among young entrepreneurs who may have viable ideas but lack the networks, technical knowledge and resources required to enter global trade.

Training alone cannot bridge that gap. Some students will need financing for raw materials, packaging and certification. Others will require mentorship, logistics support and introductions to credible buyers. Digital entrepreneurs may need guidance on international demand, building credible portfolios and receiving cross-border payments.

Connecting STEP-X participants with existing enterprise-support programmes, financial institutions, established exporters and potential buyers would help move the initiative beyond classroom instruction.

While NEPC and NANS will bring complementary strengths to this task for export-development expertise on one side and the national student network on the other. Their partnership have provided foundation for sustained engagement beyond the launch of the programme.

NANS had earlier proposed export hubs in tertiary institutions across the six geopolitical zones, alongside a broader Students Export and Entrepreneurship Initiative built around training, identification, development, connection, exposure and skills.

These proposed hubs could provide the continuity that one-off training sessions cannot. They could help identify commercially promising student businesses, improve their products and connect them with experienced exporters and potential customers. However, the hubs remain a proposal, and their impact will depend on implementation, adequate resources and clearly defined responsibilities.

Not every student who attends an export workshop will immediately become an exporter. Some will need to refine their products; others may find opportunities in digital services or supporting roles within the export value chain. The programme will accommodate these different paths while maintaining its focus on commercial outcomes.

Ayeni has articulated the ambition behind STEP-X: to make the journey from campus to the global marketplace shorter and more achievable. The real test is whether the programme can provide students with the knowledge, resources and commercial connections to complete that journey.

Ultimately, STEP-X will prove its worth not by how many students attend its training sessions, but by how many build viable businesses that take Nigerian products and services to the world.

Kabir Abdulsalam writes from Suleja, Niger State. He can be reached via: [email protected]