Nigeria’s non-oil export sector delivered a robust performance in 2025, with total earnings reaching ₦12.36 trillion from January to December, according to the latest Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
This marks a substantial 36% increase from the ₦9.09 trillion recorded in 2024, underscoring a continued momentum in the country’s long-standing effort to diversify away from crude oil dependency.
The 2025 figure represents the strongest full-year showing for non-oil exports in recent memory, building on a pattern of recovery and acceleration. For context, non-oil exports slumped to ₦2.56 trillion in 2023, down from ₦3.14 trillion in 2022, before surging to ₦9.09 trillion in 2024—a rebound fueled by improved policy support, better market access, and rising global demand for Nigerian goods in agriculture, minerals, and manufactured products.
The jump to ₦12.36 trillion in 2025 signals that these gains are solidifying, with consistent monthly activity throughout the year.
Monthly breakdowns reveal a steady flow of export revenue, even amid some seasonal variations:
- January and July both topped ₦1.23 trillion, marking the year’s peaks.
- April followed closely at ₦1.22 trillion.
- Several other months hovered near or above ₦1 trillion, including December (₦1.11 trillion) and November (₦1.07 trillion).
- Lower months, such as August (₦875.62 billion) and September (₦894.18 billion), still reflected healthy baseline activity.
This consistency, with multiple months exceeding the trillion-naira threshold, indicates sustained production and export logistics rather than reliance on one-off spikes.
A sectoral breakdown highlights the drivers behind the growth. Mineral products overwhelmingly led the pack, contributing a striking ₦73.46 trillion to non-oil export earnings.
This dominant share likely reflects strong international demand for solid minerals such as limestone, gypsum, kaolin, bitumen, and increasingly valuable commodities such as lithium-bearing ores and other strategic minerals, amid the global energy transition and industrial needs.
Other key contributors included:
- Prepared foodstuffs, beverages, spirits, vinegar, and tobacco—₦3.88 trillion
- Products from the chemical and allied industries—₦3.37 trillion (likely boosted by fertilizers, urea, and allied petrochemical derivatives)
- Vegetable products—₦1.54 trillion (encompassing cocoa, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, and other cash crops that have long been export staples)
Additional notable performers were
- Vehicles, aircraft, and related parts—₦1.10 trillion
- Base metals and articles of base metals—₦646.16 billion
- Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica, and ceramic products—₦369.58 billion
- Plastics, rubber, and related articles—₦244.17 billion
- Machinery, boilers, and mechanical/chemical appliances and parts—₦207.48 billion
Smaller but still meaningful categories included raw hides and leather (₦48.39 billion), textiles (₦16.55 billion), footwear (₦27.34 billion), and niche items such as optical and photographic instruments (₦6.69 billion).
Experts view the 2025 outcome as evidence that deliberate government policies—ranging from export incentives and improved customs processes to targeted promotion by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)—are yielding results. The data arrives at a time when Nigeria continues to grapple with foreign exchange pressures and global oil market volatility, making non-oil revenue streams increasingly vital to economic stability.
While crude oil remains the dominant export earner overall, the non-oil sector’s trajectory offers hope for a more balanced economy. Sustaining this momentum in future years will depend on addressing persistent challenges, including infrastructure bottlenecks, access to finance for exporters, and compliance with international standards, to unlock even larger markets in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
As policymakers advance their diversification agendas, the ₦12.36 trillion milestone in 2025 serves as a clear marker of progress in redefining Nigeria’s place in global trade.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nigeria’s non-oil exports surged to ₦12.36 trillion in 2025—a 36% jump from 2024 and more than four times the 2022 level—proving the country’s diversification drive is gaining real traction.
Mineral products accounted for the majority of earnings, far outpacing agriculture, manufacturing, and other sectors combined. This highlights that strategic solid minerals are currently the single most powerful engine accelerating Nigeria’s shift away from oil dependence.
