The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding Nigeria’s non oil export base through stronger inclusion of women led businesses as stakeholders gathered in Abuja on April 28, 2026, for the Women Exporters Conference.

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, said Nigeria’s export future depends on deeper participation in global value chains, particularly by small businesses and women entrepreneurs.

The conference, themed “Strengthening Women led Businesses for Resilience, Recovery and Inclusive Economic Growth,” brought together top government officials and industry leaders including Abike Dabiri-Erewa, former Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen, Special Adviser to the President on Exports Aliyu Sheriff, Dame Pauline Talline, Special Assistant to the Director General of the WTO Ms Nichole Mensa, and MD of Tafawa Balewa Lucia Shitu, alongside representatives of banks, agencies and the private sector.

Ayeni said Nigeria’s non oil export performance has continued to improve, rising to $6.1 billion in 2025, the highest in the country’s history, with export volume reaching 8.02 million metric tonnes.

Despite this growth, she noted that Nigeria still accounts for only 0.25 per cent of global merchandise trade, while Africa contributes 3.5 per cent of the $24.5 trillion global export market.

She said Nigeria exported 281 products to 210 countries in 2025 across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania, including 36 African countries through ECOWAS and other regional markets.

Ayeni said the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA presents a major opportunity for exporters, particularly women led enterprises in agriculture, processing and manufacturing, to scale across borders.

She added that SMEs account for about 96 per cent of businesses in Nigeria, with women making up about 40 per cent, describing them as key drivers of export diversification and job creation.

According to her, NEPC implemented 728 capacity building programmes in 2025, reaching over 97,000 participants nationwide, while facilitating 210 international certifications including FDA, HACCP, Halal and ISO standards, with about half awarded to women owned businesses.

She also said over 5,000 women have benefitted from the SheTrades Nigeria Hub in partnership with the International Trade Centre, which provides training, mentorship and market access support.

Ayeni highlighted Nigeria’s selection into the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy WEIDE Fund initiative of the World Trade Organisation and International Trade Centre, describing it as a major step for digital trade inclusion.

She said more than 67,000 women applied for the programme, with 146 beneficiaries selected to receive grants, mentorship and export readiness support valued between $5,000 and $30,000.

The conference also featured an exhibition of export ready Made in Nigeria products by licensed female exporters, as well as technical sessions on export documentation, compliance requirements and legal export procedures facilitated by NEPC officials.

Ayeni urged women entrepreneurs to strengthen their competitiveness by taking advantage of available training, standards and market access platforms.

She said NEPC would continue to expand initiatives that enable women to participate more fully in international trade.