Nigeria’s non-oil exports have recorded a remarkable 25.75% increase in the first quarter of 2025, reaching $1.79 billion, fueled in large part by rising global demand for sesame seeds.
This development was revealed by Nonye Ayeni, CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), during a recent event focused on empowering sesame seed farmers across the country.
Ayeni, representing the council’s Chief Trade Promotion Officer, Chika Sylvia, said this growth outpaces the 19.59% increase recorded in the same period of 2024, underscoring Nigeria’s expanding footprint in the global non-oil export market.
Sesame Seeds: A Top Export Contender
In 2024, sesame seeds ranked third among Nigeria’s top 20 export products, with exports totaling 337,825.8 metric tonnes, representing 4.63% of the country’s total export volume.
Ayeni stressed the huge potential for Nigeria to capture a larger share of foreign exchange earnings through increased sesame seed exports.
“Nigeria can obtain a significant share of the enormous forex from sesame seed exports in the global market,” she said.
With strategic support for farmers and exporters, the sector is poised to be a key driver for Nigeria’s economic diversification and foreign exchange generation.
