NEPC Records Historic $6.1bn Non-Oil Export Earnings in 2025 – Toni Kan
Nigeria’s non-oil export sector recorded its strongest performance on record in 2025, generating $6.1 billion in export earnings, according to data released by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
The figure represents an 11.5 per cent increase over the $5.46 billion recorded in 2024, making it the highest formally documented non-oil export value since the establishment of the Council.
Presenting the data at a press briefing in Abuja, NEPC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Nonye Ayeni, described 2025 as a landmark year for Nigeria’s diversification drive, noting that export volumes also rose by 10 per cent to 8.02 million metric tonnes.
Ayeni said the performance underscored the growing resilience of the non-oil sector, adding that efforts are ongoing with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to properly capture informal exports.
Nigeria exported non-oil products to 120 countries in 2025, with the Netherlands emerging as the top destination, accounting for 17.53 per cent of total exports. Other major markets included Brazil, India, Belgium, the United States, Vietnam, Germany, China, Switzerland and Japan.
Within Africa, exports were recorded in 36 countries, including 11 ECOWAS states, with Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire ranking among Nigeria’s top 20 global destinations.
By product category, cocoa beans dominated exports, generating $1.99 billion, followed by urea fertilizer ($1.29 billion), cashew nuts ($456.9 million), sesame seeds ($300.3 million) and gold dore ($228.8 million). Cocoa derivatives also featured prominently, reflecting increased local processing and value addition.
Ayeni attributed the sector’s growth to targeted reforms, including the “Double Your Export” initiative, improved inter-agency collaboration, expanded capacity building for exporters, stronger compliance measures and increased private-sector investment in processing.
She also cited alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, improved export financing, and rising global demand for fertilizer, cocoa and cashew as key drivers.
Looking ahead, Ayeni expressed optimism for 2026, with plans to expand export clusters, reduce rejection rates, deepen SME participation, improve data integrity and implement the Nigeria–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which grants tariff-free access to over 7,300 Nigerian products.
“2026 promises to be a great year for non-oil exports as we continue to expand value, volume and market access,” she said.
