The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has reiterated its push to deepen support for women-led export businesses as Nigeria’s non-oil export performance continues to show record growth, positioning small enterprises as central to the country’s trade expansion strategy.
Speaking at the Women Exporters Conference held in Abuja, NEPC Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nonye Ayeni, said Nigeria’s long-term export competitiveness will depend on how effectively it integrates small businesses and women entrepreneurs into global value chains.
The conference, themed “Strengthening Women-led Businesses for Resilience, Recovery and Inclusive Economic Growth,” convened policymakers, trade experts and private sector stakeholders, including Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Pauline Tallen and Aliyu Sheriff, alongside representatives from financial institutions and multilateral organisations.
Ayeni disclosed that Nigeria’s non-oil exports reached $6.1 billion in 2025, the highest level recorded to date, with export volume rising to 8.02 million metric tonnes. Despite this progress, she noted that Nigeria still contributes just 0.25 per cent to global merchandise trade, compared to Africa’s 3.5 per cent share of the $24.5 trillion global export market.
“Nigeria must scale participation in global trade, and women-owned businesses are critical to achieving that expansion,” she said.
According to her, Nigeria exported 281 products to 210 countries in 2025, spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania, including 36 African markets under regional trade frameworks such as ECOWAS.
She pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a major opportunity for women-led enterprises in agriculture, processing and manufacturing to scale operations beyond domestic markets.
Ayeni added that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for about 96 per cent of businesses in Nigeria, with women representing roughly 40 per cent, making them key drivers of export diversification and employment.
To support this segment, NEPC implemented 728 capacity-building programmes in 2025, reaching over 97,000 participants nationwide. The council also facilitated 210 international certifications, including FDA, HACCP, Halal and ISO standards, with nearly half secured by women-owned businesses.
She further highlighted the impact of the SheTrades Nigeria Hub, implemented in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC), which has supported more than 5,000 women with training, mentorship and market access.
Nigeria’s inclusion in the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund initiative of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ITC was also described as a significant milestone for digital trade inclusion. Over 67,000 women applied for the programme, with 146 selected to receive grants and export readiness support valued between $5,000 and $30,000.
The event also featured exhibitions of export-ready Made-in-Nigeria products by licensed female exporters, alongside technical sessions on export documentation, compliance and regulatory procedures.
Ayeni urged women entrepreneurs to leverage available support systems to improve competitiveness, stating that NEPC would continue to expand programmes aimed at strengthening women’s participation in international trade.
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