By Angelina Onyenwe & Jennifer Obiefuna
The new Regional Coordinator of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), along with her team, paid a familiarization visit to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) Enugu State Coordinating Office on 12th August 2025.
The NEPC delegation, led by its new Regional Coordinator, Mrs. Francisca Odega, was warmly received by the RMRDC State Coordinator, Engr. Henrietta Ude, and her team. The meeting aimed to foster stronger collaboration between the two federal agencies, both of which play key roles in promoting non-oil exports and enhancing value addition through research and development.
Welcoming the delegation, Engr. Ude commended NEPC’s contributions to Nigeria’s economic diversification, noting that both agencies share similar missions and visions, particularly in the area of research and development (R&D). she emphasized that before any product or raw material is exported, it must undergo proper R&D processes, an area where RMRDC plays a pivotal role.
Highlighting NEPC’s mandate, Mrs. Odega explained that the Council was established to promote non-oil exports, develop raw and semi-processed materials from agriculture and mining, and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on oil revenue. She disclosed that NEPC had chosen cashew as Enugu State’s “One State, One Product” (OSOP) initiative. She highlighted concerns raised by the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) over the age and declining productivity of cashew trees in the South East, Enugu in particular, many of which were planted over 80 years ago. She sought RMRDC’s collaboration in sourcing improved seedlings and proposed a joint partnership between NEPC, RMRDC, and NCAN.
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In her response, the RMRDC State Coordinator welcomed the proposal and suggested engaging the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), which has the mandate for cashew, to provide improved varieties before convening a wider stakeholders’ meeting. She also recommended involving the Enugu State Chapter of the Cashew Association.
Both agencies agreed to approach CRIN to source for improved seedlings for growers in Enugu State and pledged to maintain a strong working relationship in pursuit of sustainable cashew value chain development in the South East.
