Non-Oil Exports Surge to $6.1bln as FG Sets New Targets for NIPC, NEPC

By Maryann Awuya

Following their inauguration on October 27, 2026, the governing boards of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) have been assigned a clear mandate – convert investment pledges into real-world projects, expand non-oil exports, and stimulate job creation nationwide.

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, outlined these priorities at the inauguration ceremony, as detailed in a press release shared with PerSecondNews.

She said investments must deliver local production, technology transfer and sustainable employment.

Oduwole urged the 16-member NIPC Governing Council to remove business bottlenecks, strengthen investment facilitation and ensure announced projects move to implementation.

At the inauguration of the nine-member NEPC Governing Board, she disclosed that Nigeria’s formally documented non-oil exports rose by 11.5 per cent to $6.1 billion in 2025, up from $5.46 billion in 2024.

Export volumes also increased from 7.29 million to 8.02 million metric tonnes, with 281 non-oil products shipped to 120 countries. Major commodities included cocoa beans, urea, cashew nuts and sesame seeds.

The minister called for increased local processing, improved product quality and compliance with international standards to strengthen Nigeria’s access to global markets.

She also highlighted the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor, developed with Uganda Airlines and RwandAir, as part of efforts to tackle logistics challenges and improve export competitiveness.

Both boards were urged to set measurable targets for investments realised, export orders secured, markets accessed and jobs created, with particular attention to women-owned and youth-led businesses.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, said the boards’ performance should be measured by tangible results, including completed shipments, foreign exchange earnings, technology transfer and employment.

NIPC Governing Council Chairperson, Mrs. Temitope Kola-Oyenenyi, pledged to strengthen investor confidence and ensure investment commitments translate into viable projects, while NEPC Governing Board Chairman, Alhaji Muhammed Munir Ja’afaru, pledged the board’s commitment to delivering on its mandate.

PerSecondNews reports that the appointments form part of the Federal Government’s efforts to drive industrialisation, diversify the economy and support its ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.