Nigeria's Non-Oil Exports Hit Record $6.1 Billion in 2025

Nigeria's non-oil exports reached an all-time high of $6.1 billion in 2025, the strongest performance since the country began tracking these sales. The achievement marks an 11.5 percent jump from 2024 and shows Nigeria's economy is finding success beyond its traditional oil industry.

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council announced the milestone this week, revealing that exports climbed to 8.02 million metric tonnes. That's a 10 percent increase in volume from the previous year, with everything from agricultural products to solid minerals finding buyers worldwide.

What makes this especially impressive is that Nigeria achieved this growth despite significant challenges. Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, the council's executive director, noted that many exports still move through informal channels across borders, meaning the real numbers are likely even higher.

Nigerian products reached 120 countries in 2025, with the Netherlands, Brazil, and India leading as top buyers. The Netherlands alone increased its purchases by 32.46 percent, stocking up on cocoa beans, cocoa butter, and sesame seeds.

The country exported 281 different non-oil products, spanning from raw agricultural goods to processed items and industrial materials. Top sellers included cocoa products, cashews, sesame seeds, gold, aluminum, soybeans, and rubber.

The Ripple Effect

This export boom signals a major shift for Nigeria's economy. For decades, the country has relied heavily on oil revenue, making it vulnerable to global price swings and market instability.

By diversifying into agricultural and manufactured products, Nigeria is creating more stable income streams and jobs across different sectors. Farmers growing cocoa in the south, miners extracting gold, and factories processing cashews are all contributing to this economic transformation.

The growth also strengthens Nigeria's trade relationships globally. With buyers in 120 countries, Nigerian businesses are building international partnerships and proving they can compete on quality and reliability.

Even within Africa, Nigeria exported $271 million worth of products to 11 neighboring countries, despite regional challenges. The government is now working with statistics agencies to better track informal trade and support even more businesses in going global.

This record represents years of work to improve competitiveness, add value to raw materials, and help Nigerian products meet international standards.