₦airaland Forum

Nigeria’s non-oil exports climbed to a historic high of $6.1 billion in 2025, representing an 11.5 per cent increase from the $5.4 billion recorded in 2024, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said, in a development seen as a major boost to the country’s economic diversification drive away from crude oil dependence.

Nonye Ayeni, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEPC, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during her annual progress report and 2026 non-oil export outlook briefing.

Ayeni said data obtained 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.

“Ladies and gentlemen, based on the records obtained from pre-shipment inspection agencies, Nigerian non-oil export performance in 2025 reached an all-time high. 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.

She described the 2025 performance as a historic milestone for the sector, noting that it represents the highest value of formally documented non-oil exports recorded since the establishment of the council nearly five decades ago, surpassing all previous records and underscoring Nigeria’s growing momentum in expanding its non-oil export base.

“This marks the highest non-oil export value achieved in the country for formal documented trade in the country and also from the inception of the council almost 50 years ago. So we have indeed beaten our own records of last year. So Nigeria has 6.1 billion U.S. dollars in terms of value for non-oil export,” she said.

According to her, the $6.1bn export value reflects improved activity across several value chains, supported by expanding market access and increasing product diversification.

Beyond value, Ayeni noted that export volumes also rose significantly, with total non-oil exports hitting 8.02 million metric tonnes in 2025, compared with 7.29 million metric tonnes in 2024, representing a 10 per cent increase.

She explained that the strong performance cut across agricultural commodities, processed and semi-processed goods, industrial inputs, and solid minerals, indicating gradual progress in value addition and broader product representation.

“In 2025 alone, Nigeria exported a total of 281 non-oil products. This reflects our steady transition towards value-added exports and deeper integration into global value chains,” Ayeni stated.

However, the NEPC boss cautioned that the impressive figures did not fully capture the country’s export potential, noting that a significant volume of trade still occurs informally across Nigeria’s land borders.

She said the council was working with the National Bureau of Statistics, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and other stakeholders to mainstream informal trade into official export records, improve data accuracy, and strengthen policy support for exporters.

Ayeni added that ongoing reforms, export incentives, and capacity-building initiatives would be intensified in 2026 to sustain growth and expand Nigeria’s non-oil export footprint.

According to the NEPC, the latest performance comes amid renewed government efforts to boost foreign exchange earnings, stabilise the naira, and reduce the economy’s vulnerability to oil price shocks by deepening non-oil export revenues.

Estello:
Nigeria’s diversification drive pays off as non-oil exports rise 11.5% to $6.1bn in 2025 – NEPC

https://www.google.com/amp/s/businessday.ng/news/article/nigerias-diversification-drive-pays-off-as-non-oil-exports-rise-11-5-to-6-1bn-in-2025-nepc/%3famp

Christmyhope:
Diversification is a gradual and phenomenal process embark upon by dis government and I think Tinubu's government should be commended for dis audacious move.

Christmyhope:
Diversification is a gradual and phenomenal process embark upon by dis government and I think Tinubu's government should be commended for dis audacious move.

anonimi:
How Indorama sustains manufacturers, boosts Nigeria’s FX earnings

Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited (IEPL) has emerged as a major value creator in the Nigerian economy. It is responsible for the survival, growth and sustenance of many manufacturing companies in Nigeria today. A large number of plastic and allied firms depend on the Eleme-based company for petrochemical resins (or polymer resins) which serve as their raw materials.

The petrochemical company is just one of the several subsidiaries of Indorama-Nigeria Group, which also comprises Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited (IEFCL), Indorama PET Nigeria Limited, and Indorama Port Operations.

Since Indorama Corporation of Indonesia became core investor in the old Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited (EPCL) in 2006 through privatisation programme of the Federal Government, the group has become a game changer in the Nigerian economy.

The petrochemical company has solved the major challenge facing a number of manufacturers— poor access to raw materials. Rather than scramble for foreign exchange to import inputs, the company ensures that manufacturers have access to their critical raw materials, enabling them to save costs and improve margins.

The major resins used by plastic and allied companies are polyethylene and polypropylene. Indorama produces about 45 grades of these products for various industries. About 600 of such companies in Nigeria depend on IEPL for their survival. They are estimated to have over 90,000 workers.

https://businessday.ng/real-sector/article/how-indorama-sustains-manufacturers-boosts-nigerias-fx-earnings/

Estello:
Nigeria’s diversification drive pays off as non-oil exports rise 11.5% to $6.1bn in 2025 – NEPC



https://www.google.com/amp/s/businessday.ng/news/article/nigerias-diversification-drive-pays-off-as-non-oil-exports-rise-11-5-to-6-1bn-in-2025-nepc/%3famp

Brendaniel:
What are the names of the products that has been diversified, if it is gas then, how many Nigerians deal on gas as export?

Besides Oil and Gas are closely related, so what exactly is the justification that Tinubu is diversifying ? are other products prohibited from the diversification?

PHIPEX:
Typically, when your currency is useless or almost useless you tend to export more because the product you worked hard to produce is now very cheap to the world so you can sell more of it. But this only favours a country that is heavy in production not a consuming country like Nigeria. The net effect remains negative because we are not producing but importing everything known to human; what you can in export, you lose in import.

Japan and China currencies are low to attract export because they produce and they gain from it, our case is double jeopardy to the masses because we are still a net importer

ElSudani:
"She explained that the strong performance cut across agricultural commodities, processed and semi-processed goods, industrial inputs, and solid minerals, indicating gradual progress in value addition and broader product representation."

Brendaniel:
It has always been like that, the question is: is Tinubu really diversifying?

What sectors aside from oil and gas has made significant output in regards to this claim of diversification?

ElSudani:
How has it always been like that if non oil export is at 50 year high?

Hmmmmm2024:
The export was mainly from the INFORMAL SECTOR...as indicated by the statistics of the CBN...what this means is that, The major export of the government is OIL...I was expecting to hear that non oil export was from the government... The monies from non oil export go into the pockets of individuals who carry out the export... before some of you ask stupid questions, know that every foreign income must pass through the CBN, that's why they were able to track and have the statisui...but unfortunately, the non oil export are from private individuals and not the government...the government is happy that I am exporting non oil products...😂😂😂😂😂...if you don't read the entire article, you will think the non oil export was from government

Brendaniel:
Oil and gas, what exactly has made significant improvement aside oil and gas to justify the claim of diversification, give us the breakdown, that is what we want to see...

Hmmmmm2024:
The export was mainly from the INFORMAL SECTOR...as indicated by the statistics of the CBN...what this means is that, The major export of the government is OIL...I was expecting to hear that non oil export was from the government... The monies from non oil export go into the pockets of individuals who carry out the export... before some of you ask stupid questions, know that every foreign income must pass through the CBN, that's why they were able to track and have the statisui...but unfortunately, the non oil export are from private individuals and not the government...the government is happy that I am exporting non oil products...😂😂😂😂😂...if you don't read the entire article, you will think the non oil export was from government

Hmmmmm2024:
The export was mainly from the INFORMAL SECTOR...as indicated by the statistics of the CBN...what this means is that, The major export of the government is OIL...I was expecting to hear that non oil export was from the government... The monies from non oil export go into the pockets of individuals who carry out the export... before some of you ask stupid questions, know that every foreign income must pass through the CBN, that's why they were able to track and have the statisui...but unfortunately, the non oil export are from private individuals and not the government...the government is happy that I am exporting non oil products...😂😂😂😂😂...if you don't read the entire article, you will think the non oil export was from government

ElSudani:
This is a quote from the same article both you and I are reading. Let me know what you make of it.

"She explained that the strong performance cut across agricultural commodities, processed and semi-processed goods, industrial inputs, and solid minerals, indicating gradual progress in value addition and broader product representation."

Brendaniel:
The products don't have name?

Let them give us the breakdown, cut across also means they made improvement which were already existing productas, diversification means spreading into more areas, that is why I said if they can list this products and how much were made in addition to new products that have also diversified into, then also show the differences made in these product categories which exclude oil and gas, the differences between this year and last year to prove the claim of diversification.

The whole thing looks like they are hiding under the total sum, let us see the improvement percentage of each product and the new products that have also been diversified into which does not include oil and gas...

That way they can boast of diversification if the significance is much...

PHIPEX:
Typically, when your currency is useless or almost useless you tend to export more because the product you worked hard to produce is now very cheap to the world so you can sell more of it. But this only favours a country that is heavy in production not a consuming country like Nigeria. The net effect remains negative because we are not producing but importing everything known to human; what you can in export, you lose in import.

Japan and China currencies are low to attract export because they produce and they gain from it, our case is double jeopardy to the masses because we are still a net importer