Itegbe: Our Reforms Have Enhanced Exports at Sub-national Level

As the present administration of President Bola Tinubu intensifies efforts to drive economic diversification and wean the country off crude oil, Regional Coordinator, South-South, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Benedict Itegbe, said recent reforms supported by the commission have enhanced the capacity of exporters at states level to connect to the international markets to boost foreign exchange earnings for the country. He spoke to James Emejo, on some of the reform interventions he spearheaded, and their impacts through the State Committee on Export Promotion as well as the role of the AIG Public Leaders Programme in the equation.

What have been the challenges of exporters that required reforms?

Thank you. You see, three major hurdles stood out here -we had fragmented stakeholder coordination: We addressed this by formalising the SCEP structure, instituting clear roles and KPIs, as well as introducing formal quarterly performance reporting by member regulators and trade facilitators. There was also low awareness of global compliance requirements, such as the EUDR: We responded by pushing for a national conversation, which led to the establishment of the National EUDR Task Force and the National Traceability System White Paper, which I initiated and coordinated. We also created tailored capacity-building instruments to strengthen digital skills for market research and market penetration.

And another challenge was the limited state-level institutional export capacity: We tackled this through deliberate incorporation of capacity building and institutional strengthening for policymakers within the state export strategy roadmaps.

You have been credited with specific reforms in the public sector especially as it affects products exports. What exactly does it entail?

My work focuses on strengthening non-oil export development, especially through state-level export strategies enabled by the State Committees on Export Promotion (SCEP). We support manufacturers, processors, SMEs, export clusters, policymakers, and trade associations with business intelligence, sustainable traceability systems, capacity building, export incentives, product development, and market development. In addition to my role at NEPC, my work on Ondo State’s Cocoa Strategy has opened doors from the sub-national to the national level. I have recently been appointed a member of the National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC)—the apex policy organ for the cocoa sector in Nigeria—as well as the National Task Force on EUDR Readiness, where I serve as the technical lead on digital infrastructure. I also recently initiated the White Paper on Nigeria’s National Traceability System, unlocking competitiveness opportunities beyond the EUDR compliance threat.

Furthermore, as regional coordinator, I am now extending professional guidance towards the ongoing development of export strategies in other Niger Delta states, especially Bayelsa and Delta States.

Your reform project has been highlighted for its impact through SCEP, particularly in driving the 10-year Ondo State Export Strategy. What does it seek to address?

Well, the project is titled, “Strengthening State-Level Export Governance Through the State Committee on Export Promotion (SCEP) Model.”

The core problem it addressed was fragmented export development—where federal agencies, state ministries, private sector actors, and financial institutions operated in silos. This resulted in missed opportunities, low export capacity, and inefficient coordination. Our goal was to institutionalise export governance at the state level, ensuring that export planning is long-term and data-driven, stakeholders are accountable, MSMEs receive structured support, and states move from ad-hoc export activities to a clear strategic framework and roadmap.

This work began in Ondo State, which became Nigeria’s first state to develop a 10-year export strategy. The SCEP platform became the engine for operationalising that export strategy.

What are some of the most compelling statistics or tangible outcomes that demonstrate the success of the project?

A few highlights stand out here; the first-ever documented sub-national export strategy in Nigeria (Ondo State, 2025–2035). Moreover, we have over 500 MSMEs trained through SCEP-led programmes. Outcomes also include the creation of sector-specific value-chain plans for cocoa, oil palm, rubber, and fisheries. Following my upgrade to South-South Regional Coordinator three months after completing the capstone, Bayelsa and Delta States adopted similar structured export strategy development approaches, signaling regional replication. The Rivers State Annual Model helped unlock partnerships that led to the Finance & Export Readiness Accelerator (FERA) and the Port Harcourt Air-Freight Export Hub Roadmap.

Essentially, my work on the Ondo State project also directly shaped the concept note I developed on the state’s pioneering Task Force on EUDR. As the largest cocoa-producing state in Nigeria—recently accounting for up to 40 per cent of the country’s non-oil exports—Ondo is also the most exposed to EUDR requirements. The insights from this project informed the design of the Task Force and contributed to the thinking that led to the establishment of the National Task Force on EUDR by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. This work is now driving national conversations on traceability, compliance, and readiness across the wider ecosystem.

Most importantly, what began as a state-level reform has grown into a national governance conversation, culminating in my appointment to the National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC) and the Technical Working Group of the National Task Force on EUDR.

Beyond the numbers, is there an impact story that stands out—perhaps an individual, team, or community that best captures the real impact of this project?

Yes, one story that stays with me is the progress made with women cooperatives in the Niger Delta who participated in our Finance and Export Readiness Digital Accelerator. These women, producing goods ranging from spices to cocoa derivatives, previously could not leverage digital marketing and e-commerce to access international markets. Through structured coaching and SCEP-supported linkages, they secured their first export inquiries, orders, actual exports, and concessionary financing breakthroughs. For me, that story captures the heart of the reform: when governance works, ordinary people gain access to extraordinary opportunities.

Many projects struggle with continuity after launch. How would you ensure sustainability beyond the PLP capstone requirement?

We were intentional about embedding sustainability into the system from the outset. At every stage, I ensured NEPC management buy-in, particularly during brainstorming sessions at management retreats, so the reforms aligned with NEPC’s long-term strategic objectives.

I am deeply grateful to the ED/CEO of NEPC, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, for her unwavering support, which created a safe space for innovative thinking and professional development. We also positioned the project as a state-owned initiative rather than an individual-driven effort. By designing long-term, inclusive frameworks, we created structures capable of enduring political transitions while maintaining momentum. These were reinforced with digital tools and traceability systems to support data continuity, transparency, and effective monitoring. To ensure national coherence, we aligned state-level reforms with broader structures such as the National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC) and the National EUDR Task Force. This demonstrated how well-designed sub-national reforms can scale upward to shape national best practices and policy direction.

What motivated the design and implementation of this initiative?

The journey began during the AIG Public Leaders Programme, an executive training programme funded by the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation. The programme equips public sector leaders with the skills, tools, networks, and mindsets needed to drive meaningful improvements in public service delivery.

I did not enter the programme expecting a transformation; I simply wanted to learn. However, the conversations and case studies week after week forced me to rethink what governance could look like if we were bold enough to do things differently. It taught me the courage to challenge old patterns and insist on reforms that deliver real, measurable change. The programme did not give me answers—it gave me a new lens and the confidence to turn ideas once scribbled privately into reforms that institutions could actually use.

Reform work often requires collaboration and partnerships – how instrumental are these to the project’s success?

The success of the proliferation of sub-national export strategy frameworks was only possible through intentional and inclusive co-creation and partnerships. We collaborated with state governments, MDAs within the export ecosystem, financial institutions such as the Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, and Fidelity Bank, cooperatives and export clusters, NGOs and development partners, as well as the organised private sector and trade associations. I must express my sincere appreciation to all stakeholders who supported the design and execution of this framework.

Looking back, what does this project mean to you personally as a public leader? And looking ahead, what’s next?

Personally, it represents a turning point and a vindication that, despite limited resources, robust design, sincerity of purpose, consistency, and strategic collaboration can deliver transformational reforms that are both scalable and sustainable. Looking ahead, three priorities stand out:

Institutional strengthening to sustain and scale the model nationally Implementing the recently approved National Traceability System White Paper, Driving sustainable cocoa governance through the NCMC as a benchmark for other agricultural value chains. The goal is clear -to make Nigeria globally competitive in non-oil exports by leveraging cutting-edge technology.

What’s your message to your fellow colleagues in the public sector and citizens about the power of targeted capacity building in transforming governance and service delivery?

When we equip public servants with the right skills, systems, culture, incentives, and accountability frameworks, governance becomes impactful, efficient, and citizen-centred.