Non-oil export rises 11.5% to $6.1b
Non-oil export rises 11.5% to $6.1b
Nigeria’s non-oil export sector recorded a historic performance in 2025, reaching an all-time high value of $6.1 billion, according to the Executive Director and CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni. This represents an 11.5% increase over the $5.46 billion recorded in 2024, making it the highest level of formal, documented non-oil exports since the establishment of the Council. Ayeni said the achievement highlights the growing resilience, importance, and expanding role of the non-oil sector in supporting Nigeria’s economy.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on the 2025–2026 non-oil export performance, Ayeni reaffirmed NEPC’s commitment to improving results through renewed strategies and reforms. She noted that Nigeria has now surpassed its own export records for consecutive years, adding that the Council’s “Double Your Export” initiative and related programmes are producing positive outcomes. However, she emphasized that the reported figures do not capture the full picture, as a significant volume of exports still move informally across Nigeria’s borders. To address this, NEPC is working with the National Bureau of Statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria to integrate informal trade into official records.
In terms of volume, non-oil exports rose to 8.02 million metric tons, a 10% increase from the 7.29 million metric tons recorded the previous year. The growth in both value and volume indicates improved export activities across several value chains and international markets. During 2025, Nigeria exported 281 different non-oil products, spanning agricultural goods, processed and semi-processed products, industrial inputs, and solid minerals, showing gradual progress toward value addition and product diversification.
The exports reached 120 countries, with the Netherlands, Brazil, and India emerging as the top destinations by value. The Netherlands accounted for 17.53% of total non-oil exports, followed by Brazil at 10.35% and India at 7.63%. Exports to the Netherlands grew by 32.46%, driven by products such as cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and sesame seeds, while exports to Brazil increased by 19.07%, further reflecting Nigeria’s expanding global market presence.
