Nigeria’s non-oil exports reached N617 billion ($1.34bn) at the end of the first quarter of 2023, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council NEPC has said.
Executive Director of the NEPC, Dr. Ezra Yakusak stated this yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing.
He said the figure represents an increase of 8.50 per cent over the first quarter of 2022 which was $1.249 billion.
Speaking further, he said: “A total number of 167 products were exported in the 1st quarter of 2023. These products range from manufactured, semi-processed, solid minerals and raw agricultural commodities. Of the top-ten products exported in the first quarter of 2023, urea, cocoa beans, sesame seed, soya beans/meal and cashew nuts/kernels were top five.
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“Also, among the top ten export companies, Indorama-Eleme Fertilizer and Chemical Limited took the lead with 13.39% (US$182.804 million) in terms of value while Dangote Fertilizer Limited recorded the second-highest value of US$144, 089, 083.49 respectively just as 16 exit points used within the period under review,”
“Similarly, Ninety-Seven Countries, spread among five continents of the world, imported Nigerian products during the period under review. The top five countries that imported from Nigeria are Brazil, China, Japan, India and Netherlands,” he explained
He however added that with the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Nigerian products will be flooded in the African market.
Responding to how NEPC is sensitising Nigerians on export, he said plans are under way to launch a programme tagged – “Export 774’’ geared towards identifying exportable products in the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, with a view to harnessing them for exports.