Cocoa tops list as Nigeria expands non-oil export earnings

Nigeria made strong progress in reducing its reliance on oil in 2025. Non-oil exports increased to ₦12.36 trillion, up from ₦9.09 trillion in 2024.

According to National Bureau of Statistics, agricultural products made up 41.04% of total non-oil exports. This shows how important farming is to Nigeria’s export economy.

Among all products, cocoa was the biggest contributor, accounting for 24.61% of total non-oil exports. Other key exports include cashew and sesame.

Data from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council shows that export volume also increased. Nigeria exported 8.02 million metric tonnes of non-oil goods in 2025, compared to 7.29 million tonnes in 2024—a 10% increase.

This means the growth was not just due to higher prices, but also because Nigeria exported more goods.

However, there is still a challenge. Nigeria depends heavily on a few products like cocoa. This makes the country vulnerable to changes in global prices.

Even though the data now groups exports under “major traded agricultural products,” items like cocoa, cashew, and sesame still dominate.

Example: Soya Beans (Excluding Seeds)

Export value: ₦47.48 billion

Share of non-oil exports: 0.38%

Growth: -62.08% (decline)

Soya bean exports dropped sharply in 2025. This is likely due to lower production in Nigeria and strong competition from other countries.

Major buyers of Nigerian soya beans include India, Canada, the United States, Sri Lanka, and Gabon.