Nigerian Export Promotion Council

Nigerian Committee on Trade Procedures (NITPRO) is an Inter-ministerial Committee on Trade Facilitation in Nigeria with Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) serving as the Chairman and Secretariat of the Committee.  It is responsible for the coordination of all trade facilitation activities in Nigeria.   It is the only body recognised by United Nation Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) on Trade Facilitation in the country.

2. Membership of NITPRO cuts across more than twenty six Ministries, Departments, Agencies and the Organised Private Sector as listed hereunder:

• Federal Ministry of Trade & Investment (FMT&I)
• Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF)
• Federal Ministry of Environment
• Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)
• Federal Ministry of Transport
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
• Ministry of Mines & Steel Development (MM&SD)
• Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)
• Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC)
• Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA)
• Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC)
• Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA)
• Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM)
• Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
• Nigeria Immigration Services
• Nigeria Police Force
• Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)
• National Agency for Food & Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC)
• National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)
• National Planning Commission (NPC)
• NACCIMA
• MAN Export Group
• Association of Nigerian Exporters (ANE)
• BAFICAA
• Bankers’ Committee
• Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
• Institute of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (IFFN)
• Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON

1.   Objectives of NITPRO

• to study and recommend improved and simplified trade procedures and documentations in Nigeria with a view to eliminate factors that impede external trade;
• to streamline trade procedures to meet national and international requirements;
• to harmonize Nigeria’s trade procedures and documentations with the United Nations system and other international standards.

2. Some Functions of NITPRO

i.            Promoting the simplification of documentation and procedures for import and export trade in Nigeria;

ii.            Coordinating work on facilitation of trade procedures and documentations in Nigeria;

iii.            Identifying issues affecting the cost and efficiency of Nigerian International Trade;

iv.            Developing measures to reduce costs and improve efficiency of international trade by the application of the UN Layout Key and guidelines for designing trade documents;

v.            Assisting in the implementation of trade facilitation measures;

vi.            Providing a national focal point for collection and dissemination of information on best practices in international trade;

vii.            Educating stakeholders on current developments and requirements in export/import business;

viii.            Providing an avenue for cross fertilization of ideas and exchange of views between various trade facilitating agencies in Nigeria and abroad so as to finding solutions to identified problems thereby improve Nigeria’s export trade performance.

Some achievements of NITPRO from its inception:

• The design of Form NXP currently in use in the country
• Significant effort was made at aligning Nigeria’s trade documents with the United Nations Layout Key (UNLK) resulting in 52% compliance. The UNLK is a documentary framework which provides a substantial degree of standardization but allows flexibility for national adaptations. NITPRO received commendations from the UNCEFACT Secretariat for this effort
• Actively participated at the International Trade Procedures Working Group (ITPWG-TBG15) meetings at which the following documents now in use globally were drafted. The documents are:-
• Recommendations and Supporting Guidelines on the Single Window Concept
• A Bench Marking Concept Brochure
• A Revised UNECE Recommendation twelve (12) on measures to facilitate maritime transport documentation procedures
• Input to debate on the security of the Supply Chain which is now known as ISPS code.
• Printed the handbook “Export Procedures and Documentation in Nigeria” to disseminate information.
• The election of the then NITPRO’s Chairman, Late J.J. Olumekun; the first African, as Vice Chairman of the UNCEFACT Central Steering Group (CSG) representing Africa
• Instrumental to the establishment of African EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce and Transport) Board (AFEB) and successful hosting of EDIFACT conference 1993. AFEB is a regional body which operates within the confines of the UNCEFACT and is responsible for the development of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in Africa.
• Organized series of enlightenment seminars across the country to educate stakeholders on prevalent trade procedures and documentation in 2002.
• Organized training programmes for its members at SITPRO, London and  the UNCEFACT Headquarters Geneva, Switzerland in 1991 and 1992, respectively.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD =>: Nigerian Non Oil Export, Conference, Exhibition & Awards (NNECEA 2011)

NEPC and World Trade Organisation/ Standard Trade and Development Facility embark on a Project in expanding the export of Sesame seed and Sheanut/butter through improved sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) capacity building for the public & private sector

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The Nigeria National Strategy on Export of Professional Services was launched in Lagos (16th), Abuja (18th), Kano (23rd) and Port Harcourt (25th) August, 2011. The Strategy was developed with a focus on creating the requisite protocol for the development and promotion of services for export from Nigeria.

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The Nigerian Committee on Trade Procedures (NITPRO) held a 2-Day In-house Workshop for members at Best Western Hotel, Lagos on the theme “ Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business”

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The Council in collaboration with Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) organised a 4-day “Train the Trainers” farmers Workshop. The Workshop was attended by about 250 on GAP especially in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and GWP in Akure, Uyo and Ilorin. CRIN is the technical partner. It involves 2-Day classroom teaching and 2-day practicals in the farm.

The Council printed 10,000 copies of list of approved pesticides for use in Cocoa. They are still being distributed to farmers in the Cocoa-producing States of the Federation and the Nigeria Customs Service with a view to enlightening the Customs Service on approved pesticides against all import.

The Council is also running radio jingles on the same list of pesticides in English, Pidgin and 6 other local languages of major Cocoa producing areas.   All efforts are geared towards improving the quality of Cocoa from Nigeria for Export.

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The Council has commenced the Export Clinic, A Program organised at the Headquarters and Zonal Offices geared at educating and enlightening  newly registered Exporters on the Council’s activities meant to assist the growth of their export businesses .

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