The Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni, has reported that Nigeria’s total exports for the first half of 2024 reached $2.7 billion, marking a 2.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
During a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Ayeni provided a breakdown of the nation’s export performance, revealing that 211 different products were exported in the first half of the year. Key exports included cocoa, beans, urea, and sesame, which contributed significantly to the overall export value.
Ayeni also highlighted the top three destinations for Nigerian exports: Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Brazil.
Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) underscores the growth in agricultural exports, showing a 123% increase in the value of agricultural goods exported in the fourth quarter of 2023 (₦463.97 billion) and a staggering 270% rise compared to the first quarter of 2023 (₦279.64 billion).
According to the NBS, the majority of these agricultural exports were destined for Asia, valued at ₦572 billion, followed by Europe, which accounted for ₦366 billion in exports. The export of agricultural products was dominated by sesamum seeds valued at ₦247.75 billion, superior quality cocoa beans at ₦231 billion, and standard quality cocoa beans at ₦140 billion.
