AfCFTA usage remains low despite Nigeria’s N12.36trn non-oil exports in 2025 – Report

2026-03-25 16:39:57

The Network of Practicing Non-Oil Exporters of Nigeria (NPNEN) has released its market survey on Tuesday, March 24, revealing that exporters’ usage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) remains low, despite the N12.36 trillion non-oil export performance recorded in 2025.

Nairametrics understands that the study, conducted with support from UK International Development, was based on four primary data sources: desk review, exporter survey, key informant interviews, and a multi-location validation workshop.

The survey, launched on Tuesday, admits that while official data in Nigeria show rising non-oil export values and expanding destination markets, findings reveal “_a highly skewed export structure dominated by micro-scale exporters, with a pronounced missing middle between low-value and high-value export performers.” _

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What the survey is saying

Part of the survey’s key findings states that:

66% of exporters operate below $50,000, confirming a highly fragmented and micro-scale export structure.
62% of export constraints originate before the border, indicating that domestic bottlenecks are the primary barrier to export performance in Nigeria.
50% of exporters recorded at least one shipment in the last 24 months, highlighting irregular and inconsistent export activity.
34% of exporters identify shipping costs as a major constraint, reinforcing logistics as a critical competitiveness issue.
37% frequently experience limited access to working capital, showing finance as a recurring operational barrier.
50% of women-led exporters achieved at least one export transaction, demonstrating strong participation but limited scale.

Regarding domestic bottlenecks, authorities were advised to launch an immediate practical utilisation programme to show exporters how to use the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) and AfCFTA step by step.

According to the survey,_ “findings show low usage and weak understanding,” _as exporters interviewed repeatedly stated that they either do not know how to use both schemes or have never received practical guidance.

_“Improving Nigeria’s non-oil export competitiveness under the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme and the African Continental Free Trade Area requires a shift from market access on paper to market access in practice. _
“While both frameworks present genuine opportunities for tariff relief, expanded market entry, and regional scale, utilisation remains constrained by domestic compliance gaps, weak institutional coordination, high logistics costs, limited finance, weak buyer linkages, and low practical awareness of how to operationalise preferences,” the survey added.

Get up to speed

Nigeria’s non-oil exports rose significantly in 2025, reaching N12.36 trillion between January and December.

This is according to the latest Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The figure represents a sharp increase from N9.09 trillion recorded in 2024, highlighting stronger export performance outside the country’s oil sector.
The data suggest continued progress in Nigeria’s push to expand exports in agriculture, manufacturing, and mineral resources, as policymakers seek to reduce dependence on crude oil revenues.

The NBS report also highlights a steady recovery in non-oil export sectors, with significant growth recorded across multiple industries.

More insights

President of NPNEN, Hon. Ahmad Rabiu, speaking at the launch of the survey, said the opportunities presented by both the UK DCTS and AfCFTA are significant.

However, he noted that realising these opportunities requires awareness, capacity, coordination, and deliberate policy support.

“It requires us to address structural barriers, streamline processes, and create an enabling environment where Nigerian exporters can compete effectively on the global stage,” he added.

The survey concluded that Nigeria’s non-oil export potential under AfCFTA and the UK DCTS is substantial but remains unrealised at scale.

It is recommended that closing the gap between preferential access and practical competitiveness will require systemic domestic reforms, firm-level capacity strengthening, and structured market linkage mechanisms.

The survey added that with deliberate, evidence-based implementation, Nigeria can transform its non-oil export ecosystem from fragmented participation into sustained, value-added, and resilient export growth.

What you should know

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a landmark agreement creating a single market for goods and services across Africa, aimed at promoting intra-African trade and economic integration.

In April 2025, Nigeria gazetted and transmitted its ECOWAS Tariff Schedule for Trade in Goods to the AfCFTA Secretariat, enabling zero duties on 90 percent of goods traded under the agreement.

This positions Nigerian exporters for improved market access and greater competitiveness across African markets.

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