Nigeria’s non-oil export sector achieved significant growth in 2025, reaching a total value of $6.1 billion.
This marks an 11.5% increase from the $5.4 billion recorded in 2024, highlighting the country’s continued progress in diversifying its economy away from oil dependence.
The figures were disclosed by the Executive Director and CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni, during her annual progress report and 2026 export outlook briefing in Abuja on Monday.
The milestone reflects both increased export volumes and expanding market access for Nigerian products, signaling stronger integration into global trade networks.
What the NEPC is saying
Data from pre-shipment inspection agencies, as cited by NEPC, confirm the record-breaking performance in the non-oil export sector.
“The non-oil export sector rose to approximately 6.1 billion U.S. dollars, representing a year-on-year growth of about 11.5 per cent over and above the 5.4 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2024,” Ayeni said.
She added that this represents the highest value ever recorded for Nigeria’s formal non-oil exports since the NEPC was established nearly 50 years ago, surpassing last year’s record.
The NEPC boss added that the increase also reflects growth in export volumes, with total non-oil exports reaching 8.02 million metric tonnes in 2025, compared with 7.29 million metric tonnes in 2024—a 10 per cent increase.
What you should know
The 2025 figures show Nigeria exported 281 non-oil products, signaling a shift toward value addition and wider participation in global trade.
- Export activity spanned multiple sectors, including agriculture, processed goods, and solid minerals.
- Volume increases suggest both improved production and stronger supply chain integration.
- Despite strong formal-sector growth, a significant portion of trade still occurs informally across Nigeria’s land borders, limiting the full capture of export potential.
- The National Bureau of Statistics reported that non-oil exports reached a record N9.2 trillion in the first nine months of 2025, up 48 per cent from N6.2 trillion in the same period of 2024.
The increase reflects the continued impact of the 2023 naira devaluation on Nigeria’s external trade profile.
Earlier in 2025, NEPC reported that non-oil exports reached $3.225 billion in the first half of the year, a 19.59 per cent rise from $2.696 billion in the same period of 2024.
