Nigeria’s Non-Oil Exports Hit $1.791bn In Q1 2025

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC on Monday, revealed that the nations value of exports in the first quarter of 2025 stands at one point seven nine one billion dollars.

The Executive Director of the council, Nonye Ayeni, who disclosed the figures while addressing the journalists in Abuja on Monday, said the amount surpassed the one point four three six billion dollars generated in the first quarter of 2024.

She said the significant growth reflects the resilience and diversification of Nigeria’s export sector beyond crude oil, a shift aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on oil revenue.

According to her, the surge in non-oil exports was driven by increased economic activity in the Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Solid Minerals sectors.

“I am glad to inform you that Nigeria’s Non-oil products exported in the first quarter of 2025 were valued at US$1.791 billion. This is a 24.75% increase over and above US$ 1.436 billion reported in the First Quarter of the year 2024”.

She said “The volume also increased to 2.416 million metric tonnes which is an increase of 243.44% from 1.937 million Metric Tons recorded in first quarter 2024”.

The NEPC noted that a total of Hundred and Ninety-Seven (197) distinct products were exported.

This figure reflects an increase when compared to the Hundred and Sixty-Two (162) products recorded in the First Quarter of 2024.

These products ranged from manufactured and semi-processed goods, to industrial extracts, and agricultural commodities, amongst others.

“Based on information received from Pre-shipment Inspection Agents (PIAs), of the top-20 products exported in the first quarter of 2025, Cocoa and its derivatives including cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, cocoa cake came first, followed by Urea, Cashew Nut, Sesame Seed, Gold Dore, Cocoa Butter, Aluminium Ingots, Copper Ingot, Soya Beans/meal, Rubber were the top of the list”.

Ayeni told the gathering that Ten (10) member countries of ECOWAS actively engaged in importing Nigerian products throughout the First Quarter of the year 2025.

These exports, totaling 362,126.92 Metric Tons and amounting to US$ 63.060 million, constituted 3.52% of the total export value and also a significant increase of 223.10% when compared to the recorded figure of US$ 19.517 million for the First Quarter of the year 2024.

Nigeria also exported to other African countries in the first quarter of 2025.