Nigeria’s Non-Oil Exports Hit Record $6.1 Billion in 2025 – NEPC Reports Historic Growth
Nigeria’s non-oil exports reached an all-time high of $6.1 billion in 2025, according to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), signaling the strongest performance in the sector since the council’s inception nearly five decades ago. The figure represents an 11.5 percent increase from the $5.4 billion recorded in 2024, reflecting growing momentum in the country’s drive to diversify its economy away from crude oil dependence.
NEPC’s Executive Director and CEO, Nonye Ayeni, revealed the milestone on Monday during her annual progress report and 2026 non-oil export outlook briefing in Abuja. She emphasized that data from pre-shipment inspection agencies confirmed that Nigeria had surpassed its previous export records, describing the achievement as historic for formal, documented trade.
Ayeni highlighted that the $6.1 billion export value was driven by improved activity across multiple value chains, supported by expanding market access and growing product diversification. Export volumes also rose to 8.02 million metric tonnes in 2025, up from 7.29 million metric tonnes in 2024, representing a 10 percent year-on-year increase. This growth spanned agricultural commodities, processed and semi-processed goods, industrial inputs, and solid minerals.
The NEPC boss noted that in 2025 alone, Nigeria exported 281 non-oil products, marking steady progress toward value-added exports and deeper integration into global value chains. However, she cautioned that a substantial portion of trade still occurs informally across land borders, meaning the official figures do not fully capture Nigeria’s export potential.
To sustain and expand non-oil export growth in 2026, Ayeni said the council will continue reforms, export incentives, and capacity-building programs. The milestone aligns with government efforts to boost foreign exchange earnings, stabilize the naira, and reduce the economy’s vulnerability to oil price fluctuations by strengthening non-oil revenue streams.
source: punch