When is the deadline for the submission or nomination of candidates ? Maybe I'll stop by at the US information office. I do believe there are many young Nigerians who are eligible for this invitation... Linda Ikeji for instance ...

baltty: It feels real nice to see that Nigerian business men and manufacturers are now thinking in a direction that contributes immensely to Nation building. I'm saying this because any form of exportation, be it a manufactured product or an agricultural product is a source of foreign exchange revenue for Nigeria and this is invaluable to nation building.

Here's an article I read a few days days ago that got me really thinking :

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FG steps up efforts on non-oil products export to ECOWAS countries

Oladunjoye Snr correspondent
Posted on Friday, November 9th, 2012

The Federal Government has said that it has put structures in place to boost trade between Nigeria and other member states of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS).
Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said this at the 3rd Nigerian Non-Oil Export Conference Exhibition and Awards, held in Abuja. Aganga said the Federal Government would formalise data capturing of the country’s non-oil exports to ECOWAS countries from its current 10 per cent to 50 per cent within the next three years as part of efforts to improve regional trade.
“One of the initiatives, which the Nigerian Export Promotion Council has done, is the data capturing of the informal trade between Nigeria and other countries. Also, we are developing the trans-national border markets in order to formalise trade that we tend to see across the borders. The first one we are doing is in Okerete, Oyo State. Already, we have done the business plan.
“Also, on the regional level, we will redress the previous situation of 80 per cent of ECOWAS goods being of Nigerian origin and less than 10 per cent of it being captured in Nigeria’s official trade performance figures, hence our determination to formalise Nigeria’s exports to ECOWAS up to 50 per cent from its present 10 per cent over the next three years. We also believe that making ECOWAS Nigeria’s catchment’s area will help to enhance the capacity of our non-oil exporters to be more actively and fruitfully participate in the fiercely competitive international marketplace, which is the pillar of our development strategy,” he said.
The minister also noted that the Corporate Affairs Commission had developed a special programme to fast-track the registration of Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises, adding that the Ministry of Trade and Investment would work with the Commission to effectively participate and compete in the global export marketplace.
“The other thing we are doing is to encourage Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises who are into non-oil export by letting them know that they can access finance if they become organised. We have opened a special window in the Corporate Affairs Commission to fast-track the registration of most of these MSMES.
“They will come on board, register and then we will form them into co-operatives. Also, we will link them up with business developers to work with them to develop their business plans to enable them have access to credit. Thereafter, we will work with them to make sure that they have access to finance,” Aganga said.
Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, said the development of the non-oil sector was critical to the realisation of Nigeria’ s vision of becoming one of the 20 most developed economies by the year 2020.
“There is no doubt that the development of the non-oil sector should be given the pride of place in the Transformation Agenda of this administration since the non-oil sector holds the key to its realisation,” he said.

Wow, this is a very inspiring article... I'm begining to have ideas

Great projects you have lined up. As I was saying in some other thread, it is also very profitable for manufacturers to directly export their products instead of waiting for truck owners and traders to do it for them. Another part of it too is that the cost of directly exporting is very low compared to the huge profits. If you can, just like I did, go and read more at : www.nigeria-fmcg-exports.com

It is very profitable for manufacturers to directly export their products instead of waiting for truck owners and traders to do it for them. Another part of it too is that the cost of directly exporting is very low compared to the huge profits. If you can, read more just like I did at : www.nigeria-fmcg-exports.com

NELISS International is the only company in Lagos I know that renders business services to companies with regards to Business Expansion, Export Sales & Marketing, etc to French speaking countries in West and Central Africa.