Executive director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Nonye Ayeni has commended Nigerian exporters for their resilience and innovation as the country recorded $3.225 billion in non-oil exports between January and June.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Mrs Ayeni described the performance as “remarkable” and credited it to the combined efforts of exporters, government support and strategic initiatives under her leadership.
The latest half-year figures represent a 19.59% rise from the $2.696 billion recorded in the same period in 2024.
Export volume also grew to 4.04 million metric tonnes from 3.83 million metric tonnes in the previous year.
Ayeni linked the growth to increased global demand for Nigerian products, improved quality standards and greater access to premium markets facilitated by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“This performance is a testament to the resilience of our exporters and the strategic interventions by the Council, in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.
She also lauded the minister of industry, trade and investment, Jumoke Oduwole, for her “unwavering support” in driving Nigeria’s economic diversification.
According to Ayeni, cocoa beans retained their position as Nigeria’s top non-oil export commodity, accounting for 34.88% of the total export value, a sharp rise from 23.18% in 2024.
Urea/fertiliser followed with 17.65%, while cashew nuts came third with 12.35%, up from 8.62% last year.
When combined with processed cocoa products like butter, liquor and cake, cocoa and its derivatives contributed a total of 41.11% of Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings.
Ayeni described this as proof that the country is making progress in value-added exports.
She also named leading contributors to the sector’s success.
Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemical Limited accounted for 11.92% of total export value, followed by Starlink Global & Ideal Limited with 8.82% and Dangote Fertilizer Limited with 6.39%.
In terms of financial facilitation, 29 banks processed export transactions, with Zenith Bank Plc topping the list at 31.98% of all Non-oil Export Proceeds (NXPs).
FirstBank Nigeria Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc followed with 12.44% and 11.47% respectively.
Nigeria’s non-oil exports in the first half of the year reached buyers across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
The Netherlands was the top destination, taking 18.64% of total exports, followed by the United States (8.42%) and India (8.36%).
Within Africa, Nigeria exported over 662,000 metric tonnes worth $139.2 million to 11 ECOWAS countries and nearly 489,000 metric tonnes valued at $83.5 million to 21 African countries outside ECOWAS.
Ayeni stressed NEPC’s commitment to building capacity within the export sector.
In the first half of the year, the council organised 252 training programmes for over 27,000 participants across the country.
These covered export documentation, quality standards, packaging and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
She also highlighted the “Go Global, Go for Certification” programme, which provided FDA and HACCP certifications to 200 small and medium-sized enterprises at no cost, reducing rejection rates for Nigerian goods in international markets.
In addition, NEPC distributed more than 23,000 hybrid high-yield seedlings including cocoa, sesame and oil palm to over 3,000 farmers nationwide, with the South West receiving the largest share.
Ayeni revealed that NEPC had revived its Zero2Export Training Programme for new exporters and launched the Export Mentorship Programme, pairing 60 SMEs with experienced exporters.
The council also deepened collaborations with global organisations. Its partnership with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Trade Centre (ITC) under the STDF 845 project has improved standards for sesame seed and cowpea, cutting rejection rates abroad.
In a notable recognition, NEPC was selected as one of only four global beneficiaries and the sole African recipient of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) fund launched by WTO director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The initiative will support women-led businesses in digital trade.
Nonye Ayeni, who has led NEPC since 2023, reaffirmed the council’s mission to boost non-oil exports as part of Nigeria’s broader economic diversification agenda.
“At NEPC, we remain resolute in our mission to increase the volume and value of non-oil exports for sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” she said.
With the first-half performance pointing to a strong year for Nigerian non-oil exports, Ayeni expressed optimism that the momentum would continue, cementing the sector’s role in driving national development.
