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Daniel Adaji
Nigeria’s non-oil exports surged to $1.79bn in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 24.75 per cent increase from the $1.436bn recorded in Q1 2024.
The Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs Nonye Ayeni, announced the figure during the Council’s Q1 Progress Report in Abuja on Monday.
“This growth is evidence that stakeholders are taking advantage of the potentials and opportunities inherent in the sector,” Ayeni said.
The total volume of exports also jumped to 2.416m metric tonnes, representing a 243.44 per cent increase from 1.937m metric tonnes in the same period last year.
Ayeni credited strategic initiatives like the “Double Your Exports” campaign and alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the upward trend.
Cocoa beans led the export chart, accounting for 45.02 per cent of total non-oil exports. Urea/Fertilizer followed with 19.32 per cent, and Cashew Nuts contributed 5.81 per cent. NEPC reported 197 unique products were exported in Q1 2025, up from 162 in Q1 2024.
Top exporters included Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemical Limited and Starlink Global & Ideal Limited, contributing 12.07 per cent and 10.00 per cent respectively.
Trade with ECOWAS countries grew sharply, with exports reaching $63.060 million — an increase of over 223 per cent from Q1 2024.
Ayeni highlighted the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stating, “It lays credence to the fact that AfCFTA holds the key to intra-African trade.”
NEPC also issued FDA and HACCP certifications to 105 exporters at no cost, with another 100 in process. To support rural productivity, 4,633 hybrid seedlings were distributed in Kogi, Akure, Gusau, Bayelsa, and Plateau States.
Ayeni reported that 6,821 participants were trained in good agricultural practices, packaging, logistics, and e-commerce. NEPC’s webinar series, “NEPC Connect,” reached over 15,000 people, with the next edition scheduled for May 2.
A major milestone in Q1 was Nigeria’s selection as Africa’s sole Business Support Organisation to implement the $50 million WEIDE Fund initiated by Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, aimed at supporting women in digital trade.
“This is one of the most exciting news of the quarter and we encourage every woman-led business to apply,” Ayeni said.
NEPC also strengthened global visibility through collaborations with the International Trade Centre, CBI Netherlands, and trade fairs in Amsterdam, the UK, and Mexico.
The Council registered 1,129 new exporters in Q1, with Zenith Bank, First Bank, and GTBank leading in processing over 485 Nigerian Export Proceeds (NXPs).
To address export rejections, NEPC launched quality control initiatives, including baseline studies on Sesame and Cowpea value chains and the formation of a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) working group.
“We remain resolute and committed to driving up the volume and value of non-oil exports for sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” Ayeni affirmed.
“Export is not merely a business; it is the lifeline of Nigeria’s economic future,” she added.