Nigeria’s non-oil exports are on the rise as official commodities
exported by end of 2013 rose to 117, from 106 reported by year-end
2012, data from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has
shown. This indicates an addition of 11 products to the number
recorded in 2012.
Similarly, the NEPC in 2013 embarked on 13 export outings with 126
companies, mostly small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
Total orders generated by these companies within the period were
worth $3.716 billion, immediate sales totalled $627,108, while
executed orders reached $763,247.
The 11 new products include Robusta coffee exported to Spain,
educational books shipped to Sierra Leone, double folded dust
sheets exported to the United Kingdom, ice making machines bound
for Ghana, and Mica Muscovite exported to India, according to
information from Cobalt International Services, the Federal
Government-licensed agent that calculates non-oil exports outings.
Others are leather furniture to Benin Republic, reduced iron and iron
pellets to Bulgaria, India and Ghana, high density polyethylene to
several countries, cut flowers to the Netherlands, fresh produce to
the UK, and garments (T-shirts and boxers) to the United States of
America.
These commodities are additions to traditional export products
such as cocoa and cocoa preparations, copper, cashew nuts and
edible nuts, prawns, shrimps, fish and crustaceans, tobacco
products, plastics and rubber footwear, noodles and biscuits, poly
bags, milk products, iron and steel, insecticides, beverages, tomato
paste and fruit juice, among others.
“Made-in-Nigeria products elicit great demand as customers
marvelled at the quality and wondered if they were ever produced in
Nigeria,” said Olusegun Awolowo, CEO, NEPC, in a document made
available to BusinessDay.
Nigeria’s non-oil exports totalled $2.97 billion in 2013, recording 16
percent increase from $2.56 billion recorded in 2012. NEPC data
shows top export products and destinations as leather, rubber,
wood and articles of wood, charcoal, plastics and articles to Italy;
cocoa, wood and articles of wood, charcoal, prawns and fish to the
Netherlands; leather, cocoa, prawns and fish to Spain; and cashew
nuts, copper, aluminium and articles to India.
Others are cocoa and Gum Arabic to France; cocoa, cocoa products,
and rubber to the UK; cocoa, plastic, articles and rubber to Belgium;
cashew nuts and edible fruits to Vietnam; leather, aluminium,
articles, plastics, copper and rubber to China; and cocoa and Gum
Arabic to Germany.
Tunde Oyelola, chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria
Export Group (MANEG), believes non-oil exports could do better if
the Federal Government reverses suspension on the Export
Expansion Grant (EEG), an instrument meant to assist non-oil
exporters so they can be competitive in the export market.
“Since 2005, the EEG scheme has been suspended eight times. The
situation has created uncertainty among non-oil exporters. Non-
acceptance of Negotiable Deposit Credit Certificates (NDCCs),
instruments used in the EEG scheme, prompts exporters to incur
cost for duties which NDCC is meant to cover,” Oyelola said.
Badaru Mohammed Abubakar, national president, Nigerian
Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and
Agriculture (NACCIMA), said to push the non-oil sector further
upwards, border markets must be developed, non-oil commodities
funded, and infrastructural developed.
He added that there must be logistics to support supply value added
chain, increase in dominance of primary commodities and high
productive capacity.
“We must empower SMEs through entrepreneurship; develop agro-
allied industries; package and label standards of made-in Nigeria
products; and focus on the comparative and competitive
advantages,” he stressed.

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