The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has adopted football talent hunt, “Youth for Export Programme,” as one of the strategies to mainstream youth in export activities.
The executive director/CEO, NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak, stated this at the opening ceremony of football talent hunt organised by the council in collaboration with the GP777 football academy.
He said the event which is in line with its statutory mandate to promote the export of services is also of great interest to the NEPC as it provides a veritable platform for advancing the “Export for survival” campaign of the Council in the promotion of goods and services for export.
According to him, Football is the most popular sport in Nigeria and has become a significant source of national pride, adding that the country has produced some of the most talented and successful football players in the world.
He further said, there are many more talented young people in Nigeria whose skills are yet untapped, noting that the initiation of the nationwide football talent hunt programme was to identify and develop young footballers with exceptional skills and nurture them to become world-class players.
According to him, “our goal is to create a sustainable pool of talented football players who can represent Nigeria on the global stage.”
“Through this programme, we also hope to create a positive impact on the Nigerian economy by promoting football as a viable career option for young people who may eventually export such services.
“To reap the benefits of this programme, we shall be partnering with various stakeholders within and outside the country, including football clubs, coaches and talent scouts.
“Through this event, we hope to introduce successful players to the “showcase” event in Cairo Egypt. The event which is scheduled for the first week of August 2023 is a great opportunity for young talented footballers around the world to showcase their skills to professional Spanish clubs in a bid to sign football contracts with the clubs,” he added.
He said that the consequences of over-dependence on oil has precipitated the need to diversify the Nigerian economy through the export of goods and services.
He further said services export is one of the non-oil export sectors that has significantly contributed to the economic growth and development of Nigeria.