10 Best Export Businesses in Nigeria

06 Oct 2025

Nigeria’s export landscape, particularly in non-oil sectors, has been evolving strongly. Recent NEPC and trade reports show non-oil exports climbing in both value and diversity. Key export items include cocoa beans & derivatives (butter, liquor etc.), fertilizer (especially urea), cashew, sesame seed, gold dore, aluminium & copper ingots, soya beans/meal, rubber, and others. Legit.ng - Nigeria news. +3 Managing Nigeria +3 nigeriaoildigest.com +3 What sets the best export businesses apart includes: Scale of operations: Firms like Indorama and Dangote Fertiliser export huge volumes, which gives them leverage in pricing, supply chains, logistics. Value addition / processing: Instead of just raw material exports (e.g. raw cocoa beans), some firms process into derivatives that fetch higher prices abroad. Quality & compliance: Meeting international quality standards, phytosanitary, export certification, packaging etc., which is essential to maintain reputation and access premium markets. Diverse markets: Being able to export to Europe, Asia, Americas etc., and using multiple exit points (ports, airports) helps reduce risk. Recent data indicate Nigeria’s exports reach over 120 countries. NEPC +1 Challenges remain: exchange rate volatility, logistics & transport infrastructure, port delays, power reliability, regulatory / trade policy shifts, costs of certification, and competition from other exporting countries. However, the momentum is strong: more companies are entering export trade, there is government / NEPC support, and agricultural and industrial export earners are gaining ground.