Nigeria’s non-oil export sector has reached a historic milestone, recording $6.1 billion in export value and expanding its reach to 210 countries in 2025, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said.
Executive Director of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, disclosed this in Abuja at a conference titled “Strengthening Women-led Businesses for Resilience, Recovery and Inclusive Economic Growth.”
Ayeni said the achievement reflects Nigeria’s growing strength as a regional and global trade hub, noting that the country exported 281 different products across Africa, Asia, Europe, America and Oceania.
According to her, Nigerian goods reached 36 African countries, including 11 within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“In 2025, Nigeria recorded the highest value of non-oil exports at $6.1 billion and the highest volume at 8.02 million metric tonnes since the establishment of the Council,” she said.
She added that export diversification efforts were gaining traction, with increased participation across multiple international markets.
Ayeni attributed the growth to sustained policy support, NEPC interventions, and the contribution of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which account for about 96 per cent of businesses in Nigeria.
She noted that women make up about 40 per cent of SME operators, describing them as critical to the expansion of Nigeria’s export base.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the President on Export Expansion, Aliyu Sheriff, called for stronger support for women-led businesses.
“Our women must not just participate in trade; they must compete, dominate and lead,” he said, urging improved access to finance and markets.
In her remarks, Nichole Mensah, Special Assistant to the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), said women-led enterprises in Nigeria were driving innovation despite structural challenges.
She highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy programme, which supports women-owned businesses to scale globally.
The conference reaffirmed growing international interest in Nigeria’s non-oil export potential and the role of women in driving inclusive economic growth.
