The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) says Nigeria exported products worth 663 million metric tonnes to 11 ECOWAS countries in the first half year of 2025.

The director-general of the NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, made this known to journalists while presenting a report on first half of 2025 Non-Oil Export Performance, in Abuja on Sunday.

Ms Ayeni said that the figure showed an increase in exported products as against the same period in 2024.

“In the same vein, Nigeria exported 488 million metric tonnes of products worth 83.538 million dollars to 21 African countries outside ECOWAS.

“This is reflecting an increase of 2.59 per cent of the total export value as compared to 1.96 per cent for the same period of 2024.

“It also lends credence to the fact that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) holds the key to intra-African trade.

“Indeed, Nigeria’s active participation in the AfCFTA is a testament to the significant opportunity it offers to exporting companies, also Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs),” she said.

Ms Ayeni said that the effort would help to boost regional trade and drive economic growth across the African continent.

She, therefore, commended the ministry of industry, trade and investment on its commitment in ensuring that Nigeria becomes a hub and a major player in economic development.

She said of the top 20 leading export companies, Indorama Eleme Fertiliser and Chemical Ltd and Starlink Global and Ideal Ltd, maintained their position as the first and second.

According to her, the companies maintained their position with 11.92 per cent and 8.82 per cent, respectively.

She said that in the period under review, a total of 29 banks participated in processing export transactions.

“A total of 10,214 Nigeria Export Proceed Forms (NXPs) were opened through these banks for non-oil exports with Zenith Bank Plc leading the pack with 31.98 per cent of the total NXPs for non-oil export.

“While First Bank Nigeria Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc came second and third, with 12.44 per cent and 11.47 per cent, respectively,” she said.

The director-general said that a total of 18 exit points were used in exporting non-oil products from Nigeria during the period under review.

She said that the exit points included eight seaports, three international airports and seven land borders, adding that 94.15 per cent of the total non-oil exports were routed through seaports.

The NEPC boss said that in the period under review, the council organised over 252 capacity building programmes, with a total of 27,352 participants across the country.

She said that the training focused on documentation and procedures and export readiness.

“We also carried out training in the area of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Warehousing Practice (GWP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), packaging and labelling, among others”.

 (NAN)