Nigeria’s Non-Oil Exports Hit Record $6.1bn In 2025

…NEPC Projects Stronger Growth In 2026

Nigeria’s non-oil export sector recorded its strongest performance yet in 2025, with export earnings rising to an all-time high of $6.1bn, according to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, said the figure represents an 11.5 per cent increase over the $5.46bn recorded in 2024, underscoring the growing resilience of the non-oil sector and the success of the Federal Government’s economic diversification drive.

Ayeni attributed the milestone to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, improved policy coordination under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and sustained capacity-building interventions by NEPC.

“This is the highest non-oil export value achieved since the inception of the Council for formal documented trade,” she said. “Nigeria has beaten its own record once again.”

In volume terms, non-oil exports reached 8.02 million metric tonnes, up from 7.29 million metric tonnes in 2024, reflecting a 10 per cent growth.

Nigeria exported 281 non-oil products in 2025, spanning agricultural commodities, processed and semi-processed goods, industrial inputs and solid minerals.

The products reached 120 countries, with the Netherlands, Brazil and India emerging as the top three destinations by value. Exports to the Netherlands rose by over 32 per cent, driven largely by cocoa beans, cocoa butter and sesame seeds.

Within Africa, Nigeria exported to 36 countries, including 11 ECOWAS member states. Although exports to ECOWAS declined slightly to $271.3m due to the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the bloc, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire still ranked among Nigeria’s top 20 global export destinations.

Cocoa beans topped the export chart with earnings of nearly $2bn, accounting for about 33 per cent of total non-oil export value. Other leading products included urea fertilizer, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, gold dore, aluminium ingots and rubber.

On the corporate front, Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemical Limited, Dangote Fertilizer Limited and Starlink Global and Ideal Ltd emerged as the top exporting companies, driven largely by fertilizer and cocoa exports.

Ayeni said the improved performance was driven by increased value addition, a sharp reduction in export rejections, better compliance with export documentation, improved inter-agency coordination, sustained global demand and gradual recovery in global logistics.

She noted that 94 per cent of exports were routed through seaports, while 20 exit points — including seaports, airports and land borders — were utilized nationwide.

The NEPC intensified exporter development in 2025, organising 728 capacity-building programmes that reached over 96,000 participants nationwide — a significant increase from the previous year.

Through its Go Global, Go Certification initiative, the Council fully funded international certifications for 210 SMEs in 2025, bringing the total number of certified exporters to nearly 700. Another 567 exporters are currently undergoing certification.

One of the year’s landmark projects was the establishment of Nigeria’s first Export Production Cluster for sesame seeds in Kebbi State, involving 250 farmers cultivating 500 hectares of land — a model aimed at job creation, poverty reduction and quality export production.

NEPC also expanded opportunities for women and youth through the Export Skills Acquisition Centre (ESAC) and digital trade initiatives. Over 70 SMEs were onboarded onto the Jumia platform to promote Made-in-Nigeria products globally.

Nigeria was selected as the only African pilot country for the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, supporting 146 women-led businesses with capacity building, mentoring and grants of up to $30,000.

Looking ahead, Ayeni expressed optimism for 2026, projecting stronger growth driven by deeper value addition, expanded exporter participation, improved data capture, strengthened solid minerals governance and new market access opportunities.

She highlighted the Nigeria-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) as a key opportunity, noting that the UAE has eliminated tariffs on over 7,300 Nigerian products.

“2026 promises to be a great year for non-oil exports,” she said. “NEPC remains resolute in driving inclusive growth, job creation and poverty alleviation in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.”