NigeriaHas recorded a N12 trillion trade surplus in the first half of 2025 as non-oil exports grew by 21 percent to $12.8 billion, signalling a strong export rebound driven by policy reforms under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The performance reflects a broader expansion in trade activity, with overall trade value rising by 14 percent, supported by improved export processes, targeted trade reforms and growing value addition across key non-oil sectors of the economy.
The gains were outlined in the ministry’s 2025 review of its activities and priorities for 2026, a document which assessed Nigeria’s economic repositioning under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
According to the review, the ministry executed a coordinated reform programme in 2025 spanning investment attraction, trade expansion, export diversification and institutional strengthening among others, translating policy direction into measurable economic outcomes through collaboration with government agencies, private sector and development partners.
“The year 2025 marked a defining phase in Nigeria’s economic repositioning under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) delivering critical reforms and results that deepened industrial capacity, expanded exports, and restored investor confidence.
“Non-oil exports grew by 21 percent, reaching $12.8bn in H1 2025, nearly double the $6.5bn target and contributing to a N12trn trade surplus during the same period,” the trade ministry said.
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The review highlighted that Nigeria’s leading non-oil exports during the period included cocoa and cocoa derivatives, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, shea butter, ginger, hibiscus flower, rubber, palm oil derivatives, fertilisers, cement and clinker, as well as liquefied natural gas.
It further said export capacity was further strengthened through partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, with 27,352 exporters trained, 200 MSMEs certified for international trade, and 3,047 farmers supported with hybrid seedlings.
The ministry also noted the Women Export Fund, which expanded access to trade finance for women-led enterprises, attracting over 67,000 applications and awarding grants to 146 women-led enterprises.
“Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones generated over $500m in export revenues and created more than 20,000 direct jobs, reinforcing their role as engines of export-led growth, industrialisation, and employment generation through the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA),” the ministry added.
Beyond trade, the review said the ministry, in 2025, recorded significant progress in investment attraction, adopting a systems-driven approach that improved project visibility, reduced information gaps and strengthened the bankability of investment pipelines.
The new approach delivered measurable outcomes, with four priority investment projects valued at $13.7 billion progressing to advanced stages, representing a conversion rate of over 25 percent from $50.8 billion in signed Memoranda of Understanding.
Through structured deal origination, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment said it built a de-risked investment pipeline exceeding $5 billion across priority sectors, using targeted roadshows, curated deal rooms and coordinated investor engagement to convert opportunities into bankable projects.
The ministry said it recorded a decisive turnaround in investment attraction, responding strategically, rather than reactively, to global economic headwinds and clearly signalling that Nigeria is open for business.