Nigeria’s non-oil exports rose to a record high of $6.1 billion in 2025, marking the strongest performance in the sector since the establishment of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) nearly 50 years ago.
The figure represents an 11.5% year-on-year increase from the $5.4 billion recorded in 2024, highlighting growing momentum in Nigeria’s drive to diversify its economy away from crude oil dependence.
The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during her annual progress report and briefing on the 2026 non-oil export outlook.
Record Export Performance
Ayeni said data from pre-shipment inspection agencies showed that Nigeria had surpassed its previous best performance, describing the 2025 outcome as a historic milestone for formal, documented trade.
“Based on the records obtained from pre-shipment inspection agencies, Nigerian non-oil export performance in 2025 reached an all-time high of approximately $6.1 billion,” she said. “This represents a year-on-year growth of about 11.5 per cent over the $5.4 billion recorded in 2024 and is the highest non-oil export value achieved since the inception of the council almost five decades ago.”
According to her, the record export value reflects improved activity across multiple value chains, supported by expanded market access and increasing product diversification.
Beyond export value, Ayeni noted a significant rise in export volumes. Total non-oil exports reached 8.02 million metric tonnes in 2025, up from 7.29 million metric tonnes in 2024, representing a 10 per cent increase.
She said the strong performance cut across agricultural commodities, processed and semi-processed goods, industrial inputs, and solid minerals, signalling gradual progress in value addition and broader product representation.
“In 2025 alone, Nigeria exported a total of 281 non-oil products,” Ayeni said. “This reflects our steady transition towards value-added exports and deeper integration into global value chains.”
However, the NEPC chief cautioned that the figures do not fully capture Nigeria’s export potential, noting that a significant volume of trade still takes place informally across land borders.
She said the council is working with the National Bureau of Statistics, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other relevant agencies to mainstream informal trade into official export data, improve accuracy, and strengthen policy support for exporters.
Ayeni added that export-focused reforms, incentives, and capacity-building programmes would be intensified in 2026 to sustain growth and further expand Nigeria’s non-oil export footprint.
