The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) – in collaboration with Nourishing Africa and Riby – has launched the Youth in Agri-Food Export Development Program (YAEDP) targetting 15,000 Nigerian youth planning to export their agricultural produce. Participants will benefit from training, market linkages and digital support.

  • Funding Type: Capacity Building
  • Target countries: Nigeria
  • Deadline: 30 April 2022

The Youth in Agri-food Export Development Program (YAEDP) is a six-month program designed to develop the capacity of 15,000 Nigerian youth, aged 25 – 40 to participate in the export sector. The program will provide training, market linkages, and digital support to entrepreneurs and co-operative leaders in the Nigerian agri-food sector.

Locations

Abia, Adamawa, Cross River, Edo, FCT, Kano, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo.

Value Chains:

The YAEDP is accepting applications from agrifood entrepreners and cooperative leaders in these value chains: Cocoa, Spices, Sesame, Shea butter, Cashew, Cassava, Soybean, Rubber, and Ginger.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Nigerian agripreneurs and agro-cooperative leaders between 25 – 40 years old who are looking to export their produce.
  • The business/cooperative must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
  • Applicants’ businesses must be located in the priority states in the country.
  • Applicants must produce and/or sell food products in the priority value chains.
  • The business must have at least three employees.
  • The business must have been operational for at least one year.

If selected, participants must be willing to dedicate at least 3 hours in a week for 6 – 8 weeks for the training component of the program. The training will be entirely online leveraging digital channel and media.

How to Apply for YAEDP

If you meet the eligibility criteria, apply today!

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Application is ongoing until 30 April 2022

Begin Application for YAEDP

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Youth in Agri-Food Export Development Program?

In partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and Riby, Nourishing Africa has launched the Youth in Agri-food Export Development Program (YAEDP), a six-month program designed to develop the capacity of 15,000 Nigerian youth, aged 25 – 40 to participate in the export sector. The program will provide training, market linkages, and digital support to entrepreneurs and co-operative leaders in the agri-food sector across ten states in Nigeria including, Abia, Adamawa, Cross River, Edo, FCT, Kano, Lagos, Kogi, Ogun and Oyo.

The YAEDP aims to ensure inclusiveness, hence, we strongly encourage applications from women and underrepresented youth such as those with disabilities.

Applicants are to note that this program does not provide grants to participants. Application and participation in the program are free of charge.

Who can apply?

The Program is open to all Nigerian citizens aged between 25 – 40 years, who own and run a food or agriculture business or lead an agrocommodity cooperative in the following states: Abia, Adamawa, Cross River, Edo, FCT, Kano, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo

Is there an age restriction for applicants?

Yes. Applicants must be aged between 25 years to 40 years old.

Can businesses from all states in Nigeria apply?

No. Only businesses located in the following states can apply: Abia, Adamawa, Cross River, Edo, FCT, Kano, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo

Can businesses that have not yet commenced operations apply?

No. Businesses at the idea stage are NOT eligible to apply. The Program is aimed to support already existing agri-food businesses looking to export.

Is there a restriction on the age of my business?

Businesses that have been running for at least six (6) months are eligible to apply.

Do I have to be a member of Nourishing Africa to apply for the Program?

While we encourage agri-food business owners to become members of Nourishing Africa (due to its many benefits such as access to more funding opportunities and markets), a verified membership account is NOT part of the application criteria for the ongoing Program.

Must my business be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission?

Yes, your business needs to be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Must my business have an export license?

No, your business does not need to have an export licence.

How do I apply for the Program?

You start the application by entering clicking on ‘Begin Application’ provided on the application page above or below.

Can I apply through email or offline means?

All applications must be submitted only through the ONLINE application form at www.nourishingafrica.com/yaedp/application.

I tried starting an application, but the page is not responding as it keeps saying application loading. What do I do?

Please first ensure your internet connection is strong. If the problem persists, please try using a different web browser (for example: if you used a Chrome browser initially and encountered challenges, try using a Mozilla Firefox web browser).

Can I resume my application at any time?

No, unfortunately, you will not be able to resume your application. Applications must be completed in one sitting and cannot be saved to continue at a later stage.

I tried submitting my application, but the page is not responding. What do I do?

Please check through the form to ensure you have answered all mandatory questions. If you are still unable to submit, ensure your internet connection is strong. If the problem persists, please try using a different web browser (for example: if you used a Chrome browser initially and encountered challenges, try using a Mozilla Firefox web browser).

Can I make updates to a submitted application?

No. Any submitted applications cannot be edited. Ensure to review your application before clicking the submit button.

What are the important dates and deadlines that I need to be aware of for the application?

The application form is open and ongoing until further notice. Successful applicants will be notified of the date their cohort will commence training.

What information do I need to provide in my application?

You must answer all the mandatory questions in the application form and provide accurate and up-to-date information.

How many applicants will be chosen for the Program?

At least 15,000 applicants will be chosen for the Program.

Are there applications/associated fees?

No. Nourishing Africa and its partners do not charge any fee for applying or participating in the Program. Please report any suspicious activities or attempts to solicit funds from you to the organization using this link: https://www.nourishingafrica.com/whistleblowing.

If my business is selected to join the Program, when and how will I be informed?

Successful applicants will be notified via the email address they have used in their application form.

Will the training be held physically?

No. The training will be done ONLINE.

How many days will the training be?

The training is self-paced for six weeks. There will also be open Zoom sessions where participants are expected to join live.

How many hours a day will the training be?

Participants are expected to commit between 3 – 4 hours per week to take the self-paced courses.

Where can I get more information on the training?

More information will be shared with successful applicants in due course.

Begin Application for YAEDP

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