The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has unveiled new measures to boost the non-oil export sector, distributing 23,239 hybrid seedlings and farm inputs to 3,047 farmers across the country.
The intervention, part of the Council’s Corporate Social Investment program, targets strategic crops such as cocoa, sesame, and oil palm, with the goal of improving both the quality and volume of Nigeria’s export commodities.
Speaking at the presentation of the 2025 Half-Year Non-Oil Export Performance Report, NEPC Executive Director, Nonye Ayeni, said the initiative is already expanding farmers’ production capacity to meet global market demand.
Beyond agriculture, the Council has supported more than 150 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through its Export Mentorship Programme. The programme paired 60 new exporters with five top-performing exporters, offering hands-on training in export documentation, procedures, and international market practices. According to Ayeni, the scheme has boosted participants’ confidence and readiness to compete globally.
In addition, the NEPC organized sensitisation workshops in Lagos and Kano, where over 100 SMEs were trained on global standards and new market opportunities across key commodity value chains.
Reaffirming the Council’s mandate, Ayeni said:
“NEPC remains committed to diversifying Nigeria’s economy through non-oil exports, while driving job creation, poverty reduction, and sustainable economic growth.”
The Council’s efforts align with the Federal Government’s wider strategy to position Nigeria as a competitive player in the global non-oil trade space.
