Nigeria’s push to strengthen its position in global trade may largely depend on the role of women entrepreneurs, according to the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the Women Exporters Conference, Ayeni noted that despite Nigeria’s abundant natural resources and strong entrepreneurial base, the country still holds only a small share of global exports.
She stressed that non-oil exports are crucial for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth, especially for a nation that has historically relied heavily on oil revenue.
Ayeni highlighted the scale of the challenge, pointing out that of the $24.5 trillion recorded in global merchandise exports in 2024, Africa contributed just 3.5 percent, while Nigeria accounted for only 0.26 percent. Given Nigeria’s estimated GDP of $290 billion and population of over 220 million people, she said there remains a significant gap—but also a major opportunity for growth.
Despite this, she revealed that Nigeria recorded its highest-ever non-oil export performance in 2025, reaching $6.1 billion in value and 8.02 million metric tonnes in volume. She attributed this progress to policy direction under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside strategic interventions by the NEPC and the resilience of exporters.
According to her, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, making up about 96 percent of businesses, with women accounting for roughly 40 percent of that segment. She emphasized that women are key players across the export value chain and are essential to achieving inclusive growth.
Ayeni outlined several initiatives by the NEPC to support women-led businesses. These include the creation of dedicated export desks for women across all 36 states, as well as extensive training programmes. In 2025 alone, the Council conducted 728 capacity-building sessions, reaching over 97,000 participants with training in packaging, labelling, export documentation, and quality standards.
She also noted that the Council provided 210 international certifications—such as FDA, HACCP, Halal, and ISO 22000—with about half going to women, helping them meet global market requirements.
Through partnerships like the SheTrades Nigeria Hub, implemented with the International Trade Centre, more than 5,000 Nigerian women have benefited from training and support.
Ayeni further disclosed that a $50 million fund launched in 2024 by the World Trade Organization and the International Trade Centre attracted over 67,000 applications from Nigerian women, though only 146 were selected. These beneficiaries will receive mentorship, training, and grants ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 to expand their businesses through digital trade.
While acknowledging progress, she maintained that Nigeria still has significant work to do in achieving sustainable export growth, stressing that full participation of women is essential.
She described the conference as a practical platform focused on addressing real challenges such as export readiness, standards compliance, access to finance, digital trade, and market access.
Encouraging women entrepreneurs, Ayeni urged them to take advantage of available opportunities, noting that the future of global commerce belongs to those who innovate and act.
Other stakeholders at the conference echoed similar views, emphasizing the need to improve access to finance, infrastructure, and international market standards.
The event, themed “Strengthening Women-led Businesses for Resilience, Recovery and Inclusive Economic Growth,” brought together policymakers, development partners, and private sector stakeholders to promote Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.
Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described support for women-led businesses as an economic necessity rather than a social concern. She said economies tend to grow faster and become more resilient when women are fully integrated into productive activities.
She added that the Federal Government is working to create an enabling environment through improved access to finance, enhanced digital and financial literacy, and stronger policy frameworks.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Export Expansion, Aliyu Sheriff, described women-led businesses as central to Nigeria’s export future. He stressed that empowering women is not an act of charity but a strategic economic decision that drives job creation, wealth generation, and community development.
He called for sustained investment in training, infrastructure, and market access, as well as efforts to remove structural barriers such as limited financing, logistics challenges, and compliance with international standards.
Participants at the conference also identified ongoing challenges, including limited access to funding, inadequate export readiness, and difficulties in meeting global certification requirements. However, they expressed optimism that continued reforms and targeted interventions will help unlock the full potential of women-led export businesses in Nigeria.