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Build a Complete Export-Readiness Plan for ONE Product

The capstone project for Export Readiness for Nigerian MSMEs — a free Business course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A link to a Google Doc (set to 'anyone with the link can view') OR a written plan containing all five sections: product & readiness self-assessment; the certifications/documents needed and where each comes from; the buyer-finding and vetting plan; the full FOB price build-up with each cost line and the final price; and the getting-paid/forex section.

What to do, step by step

  1. Choose ONE specific export product and ONE target market, then write the opening section of your plan: the exact product (be precise — e.g. 'dried hibiscus flower, cleaned and graded' not just 'flowers'), your target country/buyer type, why you can source it reliably, and your honest self-assessment using the readiness checklist from Lesson 2 (list which boxes you can tick and which are still 'to do').
  2. List the registrations, documents and certifications YOUR chosen product will need to export, and say where each comes from — at minimum your NEPC registration, the Form NXP (via your bank), the Certificate of Origin (NEPC), and the product-specific cert (e.g. phytosanitary from NAQS for raw agro, or NAFDAC for processed food/cosmetics), per Lessons 3 and 4.
  3. Write a buyer-finding plan: name at least two specific channels you'll use to find buyers (e.g. listing as a supplier on a named B2B platform, a NEPC trade mission, diaspora contacts), and write a short vetting checklist of how you'll confirm a buyer is real and avoid the scams from Lesson 5 (including the rule about never paying fees TO a buyer).
  4. Build a clear FOB price build-up for your product per unit (per tonne, per carton, etc.) using the cost categories from Lesson 6: cost of goods, processing/quality, packaging, certification & document costs, local logistics to the Nigerian port, plus your profit margin — show each line and the final FOB price. Realistic estimated naira figures are fine; the structure and logic matter most.
  5. Add a 'getting paid' section: state the payment mechanism you'd use with a first-time buyer (e.g. cleared deposit plus a Letter of Credit), confirm you'll open/use a domiciliary account, and note in one or two sentences how you'll stay within Nigeria's forex repatriation rules (proceeds in through your bank against the NXP), per Lesson 7.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
Product choice & readiness — a specific, genuinely export-ready product with an honest self-assessment against the readiness checklist20%
Documents & certifications — correctly identifies the registrations and the right product-specific certs (NEPC, NXP, Certificate of Origin, phytosanitary/NAFDAC/SONCAP as relevant) and where each comes from25%
Buyer-finding & vetting — realistic channels plus a sound vetting plan that shows awareness of the common export scams20%
FOB price build-up — a complete, logical cost build-up (goods, processing, packaging, certs, logistics, margin) ending in a defensible FOB price25%
Getting paid & forex — a safe payment mechanism, a domiciliary account, and correct understanding of repatriating proceeds legally10%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Export Readiness for Nigerian MSMEs before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Export Readiness for Nigerian MSMEs is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 5 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

Export Readiness for Nigerian MSMEs is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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