Arc. Benedict Ndudi Itegbe
Strengthening Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Capacity Through Technological Innovation
“The AIG PLP’s focus on ethical leadership, evidence-based policy design, and real-world reform case studies offered a unique opportunity to build global-level competencies that could be applied locally to solve institutional challenges.” -Arc. Benedict Ndudi Itegbe, Regional Coordinator, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)
Arc. Benedict Ndudi Itegbe currently serves as the South-South Regional Coordinator at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Port Harcourt, Rivers State. In his role, he leads regional efforts to mainstream non-oil export growth through innovation, digital transformation, and institutional collaboration across the South-South geopolitical zone
After transitioning from the private sector to public service, he faced considerable resistance to his reform ideas. Motivated by a desire to strengthen his leadership skills and drive meaningful change in public institutions, he applied for the AIG Public Leaders Programme (AIG PLP).
"I was especially drawn to the programme’s focus on innovation, public service impact, and partnerships across the continent,” he says.
Since completing the programme, he has been appointed to his current role, where he now leads initiatives with regional, national, and international impact. The tools, frameworks, and networks gained through the AIG PLP have directly shaped his approach to strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and reform implementation.
One of his key reform efforts is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s non-oil export ecosystem through the use of technology. Before his intervention, there was no structured way to measure, track, or benchmark the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in international trade, making it difficult for them to access financing or scale their operations sustainably.
To address this, as part of his AIG Public Leaders Programme reform project, he developed the Export Business Development Service Provider (EBDSP), a business development accelerator designed to help export-focused SMEs grow using data, technology, and AI. The platform tracks performance, offers personalised coaching, and provides a toolkit that guides businesses through a 90-day journey to improve their export readiness and access to finance.
"My current reform initiative is a game-changer. Its flagship tools include the Export Potential Score™ Assessment, an AI-powered coaching platform, and a digital content ecosystem—spanning YouTube, a LinkedIn community, and eCourses—targeting SMEs in Nigeria and across the continent,” he explains.
The EBDSP is currently in a 90-day pilot phase with strategic partners, testing its potential for national and continental scale-up.
Building on insights from the AIG PLP, he has also played a key role in shaping State Export Strategies in the Niger Delta. He led the coordination of the Ondo State Export Strategy, the first of its kind in Nigeria, which has since become a national reference and is publicly available on the state government’s website. He is also supporting similar export strategies for Rivers and Delta States, both of which are at an advanced stage.
Through these efforts, he is contributing significantly to NEPC’s broader mandate to build a competitive, inclusive, and tech-enabled non-oil export sector. His work is helping Nigeria move closer to true economic diversification, increasing non-oil export earnings, empowering small businesses and creating jobs for thousands of Nigerians.