Nigeria recorded a N12 trillion trade surplus in the first half of 2025, buoyed by a sharp rise in non-oil exports, which grew by 21 percent to $12.8 billion, according to a mid-year review by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI).
The strong performance reflects a broader expansion in trade activity, with total trade value increasing by 14 percent during the period. The ministry attributed the gains to policy reforms aimed at improving export processes, encouraging value addition, and strengthening key non-oil sectors.
Details of the achievement were contained in FMITI’s 2025 performance review and priorities for 2026, which assessed Nigeria’s economic repositioning under the current administration. The document noted that coordinated reforms across investment attraction, trade expansion, export diversification, and institutional capacity delivered measurable economic outcomes through collaboration with public institutions, the private sector, and development partners.
According to the ministry, the surge in non-oil exports nearly doubled its initial target of $6.5 billion for the period, contributing significantly to the trade surplus. It described 2025 as a critical phase in advancing the government’s economic agenda, with reforms helping to deepen industrial capacity and restore investor confidence.
Leading non-oil exports during the period included cocoa and its derivatives, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, shea butter, ginger, hibiscus flower, rubber, palm oil products, fertilisers, cement and clinker, alongside liquefied natural gas.
Export capacity was further strengthened through collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, which trained over 27,000 exporters, supported thousands of farmers with improved seedlings, and certified 200 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises for international trade.
The ministry also highlighted the impact of the Women Export Fund, which expanded access to trade finance for women-led businesses. More than 67,000 applications were received, with grants awarded to 146 enterprises.
In addition, Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones generated over $500 million in export revenues and created more than 20,000 direct jobs, reinforcing their role in export-led industrial growth.
Beyond trade, the ministry reported progress in investment attraction, with a systems-driven approach helping four major projects worth $13.7 billion reach advanced stages, signaling a renewed effort to position Nigeria as a competitive investment destination.
