Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings climbed to $3.22 billion in the first half of 2025, marking a 19.6% jump from the $2.69 billion recorded in the same period last year, according to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
NEPC’s Executive Director/CEO, Nonye Ayeni, credited the growth to increased global demand for Nigerian goods, broader market access, and benefits from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She added that council-led initiatives such as training exporters on standards, packaging, documentation, and certification played a major role in the performance boost.
The country’s export volume also rose from 3.83 million metric tonnes in the first half of 2024 to 4.04 million metric tonnes this year. Nigeria shipped 236 different products during the period, up from 202 in the previous year, ranging from agricultural produce to manufactured and semi-processed goods.
Within West Africa, Nigeria exported 663 million metric tonnes of goods, while shipments to 21 African countries outside ECOWAS stood at 488 million metric tonnes valued at $83.54 million—an increase in the continent’s share of Nigeria’s total exports. Ayeni said this underscored the potential of AfCFTA in deepening intra-African trade and positioning Nigeria as a major economic hub.
Indorama Eleme Fertiliser and Chemical Limited, Starlink Global and Ideal Limited, and Dangote Fertiliser Limited emerged as the top three exporters, accounting for 11.92%, 8.82%, and 6.39% of total exports respectively.
Seaports remained the dominant route for outbound shipments, handling over 94% of non-oil exports through eight ports nationwide. Three international airports and seven land borders also served as key exit points.
Ayeni further revealed that 29 banks facilitated export transactions in the period, with Zenith Bank leading the pack by processing nearly a third of all Nigeria Export Proceed Forms (NXPs). The council also conducted over 250 capacity-building programmes for more than 27,000 participants nationwide, focusing on good agricultural, warehousing, and manufacturing practices.
She noted that these interventions, alongside the government’s trade expansion efforts, are paving the way for Nigeria’s exporters—especially small and medium enterprises—to tap into new opportunities and strengthen their global presence.
