Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings soared to $1.791 billion in the first quarter of 2025, marking a significant growth of 24.75% over the same period in 2024, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has disclosed.
This was made known during a sensitisation workshop for sesame seed farmers on Thursday in Dutse, Jigawa, themed: _“A Tactical Involvement for Enhancing the Production Capacity of Sesame Seed in Jigawa State.”_
Speaking at the event, NEPC’s Executive Director/CEO, Nonye Ayeni, represented by Chief Trade Promotion Officer, Okany Chika Sylvia, noted that the non-oil export surge highlights the growing relevance of agricultural commodities, especially sesame seed.
> “Sesame seed is now Nigeria’s third most exported product, accounting for 337.8 metric tonnes and representing 4.63% of total export volume,” Ayeni said.
“This puts Nigeria in a strong position to harness significant foreign exchange earnings from the global sesame market.”
*Challenges facing sesame export*
Despite the promising outlook, NEPC officials raised concerns over past challenges in the sesame seed export chain, particularly with exports to Japan.
Sylvia revealed that between 2019 and 2021, Nigeria’s sesame shipments to Japan came under scrutiny due to excess pesticide residue and traces of salmonella.
> “This issue was flagged by the Japan Oil and Fat Importers and Exporters Association (JOFIEA) in August 2022,” she explained.
“Japanese authorities reported that pesticide residues found in Nigerian sesame were nearly twice the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) allowed under their safety regulations.”
She identified several ongoing issues, including poor compliance with international sanitary and phytosanitary standards, contamination during post-harvest handling, and gaps in documentation.
*Proposed solutions and roadmap*
NEPC is calling for a comprehensive overhaul of the sesame seed value chain — from farm to port — to improve Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
> “We must address these contaminants from the farm gate, ensure proper training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and introduce technology-driven traceability systems,” Sylvia said.
Other recommended interventions include improved packaging, robust quality testing, proper storage infrastructure, and establishment of sesame processing clusters.
> “Our long-term goal is to eliminate rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports,” she added. “Through strategic stakeholder engagement, we are optimistic about repositioning sesame seed as a top export commodity.”
*Local Support and Farmer Concerns*
The NEPC’s Jigawa State Coordinator, Abdulkadir Aliyu, highlighted the importance of the forum in helping Nigeria increase sesame output and tap into international demand.
> “This engagement provides a valuable opportunity to understand export requirements and build capacity among local farmers,” he said.
Meanwhile, some farmers at the workshop voiced their challenges. Balaraba Ibrahim, a sesame grower, urged the government to establish aggregation and processing centres to reduce farmer exploitation and losses.
> “Without the ability to process our crops, we’re forced to sell at giveaway prices,” she lamented.
Another participant, Magaji Rabi’u, encouraged local farmers to engage with NEPC to access export support and explore international market opportunities.
NAN
