NEXIM & GIZ Host Export Readiness and Market Access (EXCEL) Programme Across Four States
In a nationwide effort to strengthen Nigeria’s non-oil export ecosystem and equip micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with the tools to compete in global markets, NEXIM Bank partnered with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to deliver the Export Readiness & Market Access EXCEL Programme across four strategic economic zones. The programme, supported under the Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Employment in Nigeria (SEDIN) initiative, brought targeted capacity building, market access insights, and export finance sensitisation to MSMEs from diverse sectors.
The EXCEL sessions, delivered in Lagos (South-West), Abuja (Federal Capital Territory), Plateau (Middle-Belt), and Edo (South-South), offered participants actionable guidance on entering export markets, navigating export procedures, and leveraging financial products tailored for non-oil exporters across the locations. NEXIM Bank and GIZ emphasized on Sthe importance of building export ready business structures, clustering enterprises for competitiveness, and integrating digital tools to facilitate cross border trade.
At the Lagos edition, Head of the Lagos Regional Office NEXIM Bank, Mrs. Daniella Jarikre Ikazoboh, underscored the Bank’s mission to enhance access to finance and export support for MSMEs, positioning them as key drivers of economic diversification and growth. She highlighted that Nigerian MSMEs represent a significant share of the national economy but face persistent challenges in accessing affordable finance and export markets gaps which the EXCEL Programme is expressly designed to address.
Representatives from GIZ reinforced the value of combining capacity building with market linkage support, noting that export readiness goes beyond financing to include knowledge of standards, regulatory compliance, and sustainable market entry strategies. Discussions also covered how digital platforms and structured financing offered by NEXIM can enable MSMEs to scale operations and compete at the regional and Global level.
Across all four states, the initiative fostered strong engagement between business owners, trade support agencies, and development partners, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding Nigeria’s non-oil export base, improving enterprise export readiness, and unlocking new opportunities under continental frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This multi location rollout demonstrated NEXIM Bank’s strategic leadership in export ecosystem development and its partnership with GIZ to build an inclusive, export oriented MSME sector.