Nigeria: Non-Oil Exports Boom, Hit $3.2bn in Six Months – NEPC

Nwali Chidozie

Nigeria’s non-oil export sector experienced a significant surge in the first half of 2025, reaching a total value of $3.225 billion. This represents a 19.59% increase compared to the $2.696 billion recorded in the same period in 2024.

According to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), this growth was also reflected in the volume of exports, which rose to 4.04 million metric tonnes, up from 3.83 million metric tonnes in the first half of 2024.

 Top Exported Products:

• Cocoa and its derivatives: Led the charge, accounting for 34.88% of the total export value. This marks a notable increase from the 23.18% share in H1 2024, indicating a growing focus on value-added products like cocoa butter, liquor, and cake.
• Urea/fertilizer: Ranked second with a 17.65% share.
• Cashew nuts: Came in third, representing 12.35% of exports.
• Sesame seeds: Accounted for 4.23% of the total.
• Export Destinations: The top three destinations for Nigeria’s non-oil exports were the Netherlands, the United States, and India.

Number of distinct non-oil products exported increased by 16.83%, from 202 in H1 2024 to 236 in H1 2025. These products included a mix of agricultural commodities, extractive industry outputs, and manufactured or semi-processed goods.

Meanwhile,NEPC attributed the strong performance to several factors, including a significant increase in global demand for Nigerian products, expanded market access through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and targeted government interventions to support exporters.